


Counsel Me

by afangirlsplaylist



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Angst, Infidelity, M/M, Minor Violence, Therapy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-02
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2018-09-21 11:48:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 28,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9547856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afangirlsplaylist/pseuds/afangirlsplaylist
Summary: When Rhett and Link’s friendship hits a breaking point they turn to a therapist, who proposes a difficult idea. Very loosely prompted by the 'couples break up for a week' BuzzfeedYellow video series.





	1. Fix it before it breaks

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve never been to therapy or talked extensively with anyone who has so apologies if my depiction of therapy and a therapist’s office is completely inaccurate.

It was only recently that both Rhett and Link had begun to feel the wall of their friendship crumbling. Link could see it teetering on the edge of collapse as their fights became almost daily events - the visible cracks deepening as they grew closer and closer to physically lashing out. The only question they and the crew had left to ask was who would snap first.

Stevie thought it would be Rhett, as he walked around the office like a storm waiting to blow after the worst fights. Jen, who’d grown accustomed to finding a coffee and a 6-foot brunette waiting at her desk when Link needed to vent, thought it would be Link. Chase, the smallest of the crew, was all for locking the two angry giants in their office until they sorted themselves out, but the idea was shot down by the others in favour of keeping their jobs. Lizzie probably hid it best, but having been fond of both of them since before she was hired she was arguably just as upset as Stevie by the whole thing.

Today it started out like it always did. Rhett had spent most of the episode playfully digging at Link with ill-placed remarks, on a day when his friend’s patience cup was already empty. They were so snappy throughout Good Mythical More that a cut was called barely eight minutes in, leaving the crew to scamper and Rhett to assure Stevie and Morgan that he would make sure the lights and equipment were turned off.

A stiff uncomfortable air hung over the set like a tangible weight as the last of the crew closed the door, taking the need for professionalism with it. They stood listening to the sound of the retreating footsteps for a moment, Rhett opening his mouth first when they finally fell silent. 

“What’s your problem man?”

“You’re my problem, okay? You’re my problem.” Link said angrily, shoving his chair under the desk a little roughly. “Why don’t you get herpes or something so I can rub it in your face in front of everybody.”

“What I can’t play around with you? It’s not my fault your so damn sensitive.” Rhett shot back.

“Wow.” Link said in disgust, grabbing his jacket and shoving it on without another word.

“You can’t leave yet, I’m your ride.” Rhett said in exasperation. “Why don’t you stop freaking out over the smallest things long enough to chill the heck out?”

This was enough to turn Link around, Rhett tensing up and moving away from him a little as he stormed back over to the desk.

“You know what? Fuck you, man!” Link yelled, his hands suddenly diving for his mug on the GMM desk and hurling it at his friend. 

Rhett barely had time to move his head as the mug flew past his shoulder and shattered against the wall in a blur of black and orange. As the pieces fell to the floor they stared at the point where the mug had split straight down the center of the Good Mythical Morning logo, breathing heavily.

"We’re getting help Link, and we’re getting it soon.” Rhett growled through gritted teeth.

Link barely inclined his head to nod before leaving the room, taking care to crush a shard of the mug under his foot on his way out. It was a brave attempt at bravado, but as Rhett took a seat on the set couch he was sure he could hear sobs drifting through the room behind him. It spurred him on enough to reach into his pocket and pull out his phone, along with a slightly ruffled piece of paper. Trusting that Linked needed time to cool off anyway, he started dialing numbers. 

He found himself walking into the other room ten minutes later to find Link, who was still sitting with his face in his hands. Despite having had a mug thrown at him the sight was not one he liked seeing.

“Hey.” Rhett said tentatively.

At these words Link scrambled to get into a more dignified position, shoving his glasses back on his face. “Hey.” He said quietly.

In another situation, Rhett might have laughed, but this time he had the tact not to. “You okay to get home?” 

“I called Christy.” Link answered shortly.

“Good.” Rhett said awkwardly, shuffling his feet a little. “I found a good therapist if you want to try it. They could fit us in at one tomorrow.”

“I guess so.” Link said evasively. 

Rhett thought about leaving it at that but found himself unable to. “I’m sorry about what I said.” 

His attention caught, Link finally looked him in the eyes. “I’m sorry for throwing a mug at you.” 

Rhett managed a smile at that, hoping it would serve as acceptance of the apology. “Remember 1pm. I’ll text you the details.” 

“I’ll be ready.” Link assured him, although the hurt edge to his tone was still there. Rhett couldn’t help but notice and took it as his cue to leave, thinking it best to leave Link to his thoughts. 

When he got home he was able to dodge most talk about his day but he still barely slept that night, stewing over the situation in his head. It was until an ungodly hour that he lay awake listening to the sound of Jessie’s soft snores, with no way of knowing that not too far away Link was lying awake too.

They were both greeted by Stevie’s groans when they called her from Rhett’s car the next morning, letting her know they wouldn’t be in till later in the afternoon. They left out the reason why for now, and it was a sign of their authority that she didn’t ask.

“So what do you know about this therapist?” Link asked, resting his arm out of the open window as they drove away.

“Not much.” Rhett said vaguely. “I know she’s good but not much else.” 

“You didn’t try to find out if she’s a fan?” Link asked in disbelief. “What if we’re about to spill our guts to someone who is going to leak it all out there?” 

“There’s doctor/patient confidentiality,” Rhett pointed out. Besides the beasts wouldn’t do that.” 

“You don’t know that.” Link said anxiously. 

Frowning at his friend’s tone Rhett allowed the silence to continue for a few minutes before he decided to pull over, parking alongside the curb of a bakery. “Look at me.” He said sternly.

Link didn’t obey immediately, his gaze still fixed out the car window. 

"You wanna skip the therapy and talk right here? ‘Cause I can tell you right now that is going to go really well.” Rhett said, a little annoyed. 

Link was listening after that, turning to give Rhett his full attention. 

“We’re gunna be okay.“ Rhett assured him. 

“I know. I’m just scared brother.” Link confessed.

Rhett sighed. “Look we are going to go in there and talk our hearts out.” He ordered, his hands already back on his steering wheel. “There’ll be me yelling at you and you yelling at me and then eventually it’ll all be back to normal. Okay?” 

Link looked visibly more comfortable at Rhett’s words, sitting a little straighter in his seat. “Then what are still sitting here for?” 

“Exactly.” Rhett agreed, driving off with renewed purpose. 

When they finally walked into the therapist’s waiting room it was as bland but somehow welcoming as they would have expected. Their eyes were peeled for anyone that might recognize them as they entered but they were lucky enough to find no one did. They did, however, feel a little strange as they looked around at the troubled couples and families filling the room. It was difficult to figure out exactly where they fit in this spectrum of lives, so they eventually gave up on thinking around and headed for the reception desk. The petite woman sitting there told them very little, simply pressing clipboards with forms into each of their hands and telling for them to take a seat. They ended up sitting next to an older woman, who looked them up and down and smiled. 

“You two make a lovely couple.” She said warmly. 

For a moment they thought she might’ve been talking to people beside them before they realized she wasn’t. “We aren’t a couple.” Rhett told her.

“We’re really not a couple.” Link followed quickly.

“Such a shame.” The woman said, a little sadly. “You’d be a cute pair.”

They blushed a little and didn’t offer a response, suddenly finding their clipboards more interesting than they should have. Link took both of their forms to hand in once they’d filled them both out, although Rhett suspected it was just so he had an excuse to move. His suspicions were confirmed when Link sat back down and his leg bounced a little as he waited, looking towards the door into the office every few moments. Rhett busied himself with his phone to avoid watching him, as he was feeling a little nervous himself even if he wouldn’t admit it. 

When the woman they’d be seeing, who introduced herself as Carole, finally called them in they took another glance for any recognition in her face, looking at each other and following her in with relief when they didn’t see any.

Her room was definitely a little warmer and comfortable than the waiting room, furnished with a couch, two cozy armchairs, a desk and a chair. They found themselves drawn to the couch, sitting not too close but no too far away from each other.

“So why don’t you start by telling me a little about yourselves and why you are here.” Carole began gently.

“Well, we’re entertainers.” Link began. “We run a company together. It’s mostly comedy videos and music. We have a morning talk show we do together which is sort of our thing.”

“Congratulations.” Carole said sincerely. “And how long have you known each other?”

“A little over 30 years now. Since first grade.” Rhett told her, blowing his own mind a little as he did everytime he thought about it.

“But we’ve only been business partners for about 11.” Link added.

Carole raised her eyebrows at that, seemingly impressed. “That’s a long time.”

Rhett and Link snuck a glance at each other, grins turning up the corners of their mouths for a brief moment. “You’re telling us.” Rhett said.

“So has becoming business partners changed your relationship at all?” Carole asked. “Are a lot of your fights about creative differences?”

“No, it’s not the work." Link said thoughtfully. "In fact, it’s only made things better until recently.”

“So what changed?” Carole pressed.

Link threw his hands up in frustration and leaned back against the couch. He sat with his arms folded, looking to Rhett for an answer.

“We’ve always spent a lot of time together but since we’ve been promoting our new show we’ve been in constant contact. We probably see more of each other than our families.” Rhett said, allowing a hint of exhaustion to line his words.

“So just about every day.” Carole concluded, watching as they both nodded.

“We do have wives.” Link pointed out, his ring finger unconsciously folding in front of his other fingers. “But it’s like having another marriage. We even thought about buying a single house for the nine of us.”

“Probably a good thing you didn’t in retrospect huh?” Carole joked, thankful when they laughed at her attempt at lightening the mood.

“At this point, we may as well have.” Rhett said, half joking half serious.

Carole tapped a pen to the side of her mouth, considering them carefully. “I want to offer an idea before we get any deeper into this. You might not like it but I think it would be good for you two.” She began warily. 

“I want you to try having as little contact as possible for the next week. Work from home or separate offices, release what you’ve already filmed and don’t hang out outside of work. Take the week off if possible. Whatever you have to do to get the breathing room you need from each other.” 

Rhett and Link turned to each other as they considered the suggestion, seeing their own trepidation reflected on each other’s faces.

“We haven’t gone that long without seeing each other since… probably high school.” Link said. 

“Think of it as an opportunity. Channel it into the show or use it to spend more time with your families.” Carole suggested.

Link bit his lip and caught a glimpse of his friend’s sad eyes looking back at him. They seemed to be communicating a million things he could practically hear.  _Please do this for me. We need this._ He read in Rhett’s eyes, feeling the message in his heart. “We’ll try it.” He said.

For the rest of the hour, they talked about their differences and fights to the point of exhaustion, some venting and flaring tempers inevitable. By the end of it all they were both scheduled in for individual sessions later in the week and were feeling incredibly drained by the time they got back to the car.

Stevie was kind enough not to pry about the upcoming separation when they held a meeting about a plan for the solo episodes - which they were incredibly grateful for. They couldn’t help noticing the worry lining her face every time she dropped her professional side long enough to truly look at them, but she let it be. They volleyed back and forth over when each of them would be in the studio, called dibs on favourite tasks and allocated filming days, their skin crawling a little as they did it. Planning to work apart was such a foreign concept in their friendship, and so against the code of their work.

They approached their wives a little differently, presenting the idea of the two of them being apart for the week with as little detail as possible. They both knew their blended family meant the world to their wives as much as it did to them, and they didn’t want to think about the hurt it would cause if they knew it might be falling apart.

As they approached the final bit of filming for the week they could almost feel the collective sigh of relief around the room. Knowing it was the last they’d see each other before the end of the next week their bosses had a little bit of their groove back, looking pumped as the cameras began to roll.

“Can we go a week without each other?” Rhett spoke into the camera, as Link dramatically grasped him in a tight side hug.

"Let’s talk about that!” Link finished

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *GMM theme music plays* hehe. I hope this wasn’t too boring and drawn out for a first chapter. Comments give me life so please leave even the smallest comment if you read and enjoy this :)


	2. Day 1: Rhett

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhett has a harder time dealing on the first day of the experiment than he realized.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Each chapter will be a day of the experiment, focusing on one or both of the guys and how they deal with it.

_“Can we go a week without each other?” Rhett spoke into the camera, as Link dramatically grasped him in a tight side hug._

_“Let’s talk about that!” Link finished_

* * *

“Mythical beasts we’re gonna be honest. Internetainment is hard.” Rhett admitted. “And sometimes being around someone as much as we are can be a bad idea.”

“A really bad idea. It’s a little unhealthy.” Link added.

“Right. So here’s what we’re going to do.” Rhett explained. “For the next 7 days, we are going to determine whether distance really does make the heart grow fonder by essentially divorcing each other for a week.”

“You’re divorcing me?” Link joked, grinning widely.

“I’m friendship divorcing you Link.” Rhett retorted, lifting his mug to his lips and taking a sip.

Link laughed before turning back to the camera. “The aim is to document the process so there may be a little vlogging involved, maybe some tears or possibly even a video or two from this desk still. I don’t know. The difference is it won’t be with each other.”

“Now before you say anything GMM is not going anywhere, okay kids? Your dads are going to be taking a little break but it doesn’t mean we love you any less.” Rhett said, his voice dripping with false sentimentality.

“I don’t know if I wanna call us their dads.” Link said, gesturing at the camera. “It gets a little weird.”

“I’m okay with it.” Rhett shrugged, his cheeks turning pink as a blush crept up them. It wasn’t until he caught Link staring at him in bemusement that he pressed on. “The point is GMM will be back to normal the week after next and you’ll still see the both of us.”

“So stop writing that comment! I can see you writing it.” Link interjected.

“It is going to be a little different but it could be a fun experiment.” Rhett said.

“Very different.” Link agreed, stretching his arms across the width of the desk. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with all this desk room.”

“Probably set things on it, or lean on it.” Rhett said sarcastically.

“Maybe.” Link said playfully, before returning to his usual show man tone. “But that’s not what we’re here to find out today. Because today we’re going to talk about some other inseparable friendships as we play…”

 _I’ll be there for you, even when I probably shouldn’t._ They sang in unison, picturing the title card in their heads as they did it.

“I’ve been thinking, and you know we probably shouldn’t go into the business of making parodies.” Rhett joked, stroking his chin in mock thought.

“We should leave it to Weird Al.” Link suggested.

“Leave it to the Yankovitch.” Rhett concurred, watching as Link pulled his laptop towards him.

“Okay I’m going to present you with some facts about the lengths these people went to in order to stay together, and you have to tell me if it’s fact or fiction.” Link instructed. “If you get 5 out of 10 of these right you get a little friendship bracelet I made just for you. Rhett are you ready?”

“Always.” Rhett scoffed.

This time filming went smoothly and without hiccups, several of the stories they told serving as great banter material. All too soon the game was over and the wheel was spinning, the dying whirring of the wheel feeling a little more final than usual.

“Click through to Good Mythical More where we’ll go into more detail about this experiment and I give this guy a bracelet.” Link finished.

Then the wheel stopped spinning.

* * *

They were always the last ones left in the studio at the end of a work day but today they seemed to decide, without words, that they were going to drag this one out even further. There was always another email for Rhett to write, another coffee for Link to finish drinking or one last detail the two of them needed to look over before the next week, neither of them wanting to call it a day. It wasn’t until Link had read and re-read a message from Stevie a dozen times that he finally accepted it was time to go home. 

Walking up behind Rhett’s chair he wrapped his arms around him in a hug, resting his head on the taller man’s shoulders. "Time to go brother.”

Rhett tensed up for a second but soon relaxed, placing a hand on top of Link’s hands on his chest. “Can we just forget the whole thing?”

“Sorry, no.” Link chuckled, pulling his arms away. “We’re locked in.“

“Fine let’s get this over with.” Rhett conceded.

For two people who’d spent the better part of the month screaming at each other the ride to Rhett’s house was pretty quiet. They’d already been sitting in front of the McLaughlin house for several moments before Link remembered -  _crap_ _goodbyes aren’t a thing for us_. He opened his mouth to try anyway but was saved the trouble by Rhett opening the door, getting out like he was ripping off a band-aid. He acknowledged his friend with nothing more than a little wave as he went inside the house, but Link understood. Changing as little of their normal as possible was a comfort to both of them. So he drove away and took care not to look back.

Unfortunately, the band-aid technique wasn't much help to Rhett at all when the dawn of the first day arrived, shaking up his routine before he even rolled out of bed. There were a few things Rhett could count on every weekday morning. The lively sounds of his sons as they woke up in the other room, several unread emails, and texts from Jessie and Link. Having one of those things missing made him feel unbalanced and wrong already, a feeling that was not improved as grabbed his phone to delete Link’s contact. 

It was a temporary measure for the week that he’d come up with himself, necessary even if he didn’t like it. They’d both had each other’s numbers memorized for as long as they could remember but Rhett never half-assed something like this. Technically he could give into temptation and add Link’s number back in any time, but not having the name taunting him from his phone would be helpful anyway. So he pressed the delete contact button before he had the chance to change his mind, sending three identical texts to Stevie, Jessie and Christy right after.

_The experiment has started._

* * *

He was already regretting taking the first day at the studio by the time he walked in the door. He was immediately swarmed with demands and conversation by everyone from Stevie to Alex, to the point where he’d probably need one more of him even if Link was there. He handled it for two hours before he had to tell Stevie to take the reigns, shutting himself in the office till filming. 

His first thought was their office looked _big_ when he had it all to himself, which was saying a lot coming from him. He had a brief, wild thought of stealing one of the snickers Link always had stashed for stress emergencies, but thought better of it when he saw the tirade of emails waiting for him. It loomed like a weight that would only get heavier if he ignored it, so he parked himself in his seat to work through them. 

He was only just getting into the swing of it before a knock on the door interrupted him.

“Come in!” He said without turning around. 

Chase walked in at his invitation, wearing a budget imitation of Link ~~’~~ s glasses, a plaid button up shirt and a fair amount of mythical pomade in his hair. It was styled into a high, sweeping updo that was an accurate impression of Link’s aside from the lighter colour. “You needed to confirm this?”

Immediately falling into business mode Rhett turned in his chair to see what his employee was talking about.

“Chase no.” He said, looking at the sight as if wounded.

Chase frowned, looking down at himself. “Is the shirt too much?”

“You need stilts.” Rhett quipped, chuckling as Chase rolled his eyes.

His gaze followed Chase as the shorter man left the room, focusing on the back of the very Link’ish shirt like it was a comfort blanket. It took him a moment to shake himself out of that feeling, silently cursing himself for coming up with this episode idea. He’d thought it would be funny to film with Chase doing a silly imitation of his friend, but there were two problems. One - Link was going to kill both of them when he saw it and two - it was the least funny thing in the world to him right now. More stressed out than ever, he gave up and went to grab one of Link’s snicker’s anyway, figuring this warranted it. 

The bracelet Link had placed on his wrist during yesterday’s GMMore caught his eye as he ate, and he took the time to admire it properly. It was a black and orange piece to match their mugs that Link seemed to have put together with cord and a strap. It was tribal, masculine and simple in design, seeming to fit him and his wrist perfectly.

  


He couldn’t help but imagine Link sitting in this room putting it together, probably still feeling residual emotions from therapy but never too much for them and their work. The image was too easy to picture, and the ghostly feeling of it all quickly became too much for him. So he took it off, storing it safely in a little box in his desk for now. He doubted he’d be able to wear it again until the week was over.

For the rest of the day, it was probably the little things that Rhett missed the most. In fact, it surprised him how quickly he noticed it. He managed to film a vlog before the episode, but found himself off center in the frame, constantly turning to his right because he was so used to another body filling the space. After filming he sought the company of the crew for lunch, but it was still far too quiet without the sound of excessively loud chewing to fill the air.

Together he and Link had put an exhaustive amount of work into making this crew a family, a lot more than the beasts could ever guess at. But the fact of the matter was they weren’t Link. No one was Link. No one could be Link. No one, aside from his wife, made him laugh or feel the way his friend did, whether it was joy or intense anger. Even the anger, as horrible and destructive as it had been lately, was still intense and part of something he desperately needed in his life.

No one at the studio was as easy to talk to either, his brain added helpfully. Nor did anyone have eyes as blue or hips as -

**… _Shit_.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was a lot of description. Oops! Sorry!


	3. Day 2: Link

It wasn’t long before he would be overdue at the studio and Link was starting to get pissed, alternating between pacing around the kitchen and sitting at the table. Every now and then he would glance over at his phone, his fingers itching to hound his ride for their lateness but still refusing to text first.

It got so late that he was still waiting after Christy had already been home from the gym for twenty minutes, balancing Lando in her arms as she glanced at the clock. “Babe, why are you still here?”

Link followed her eyes to the clock and groaned, getting up to grab his phone again. “Rhett’s late.” 

Christy paused for a moment, looking confused. “Aren’t you not working with Rhett this week?“

The revelation froze Link to the spot, his foot falling to the ground in disappointment that matched his children’s when he told them they couldn’t have McDonald’s. Slowly, he lowered his phone into his pocket and frowned.

“Did you forget?” Christy asked gently.

“No.” Link said stubbornly, even as he bustled around the room and snatched up his car keys.

“Y’all are ridiculous.” She said, chuckling as Link pressed a quick kiss to her lips and then Lando’s forehead, almost tripping on his way out the door.

He was already wishing the anger would come back once he’d slid into his car. It had been like a dark friend to him recently and it almost sickened him how much he needed it now. It was so much easier to be pissed about a late ride than it was to feel the uncertain nothingness of Rhett not showing up at all, and that sent shivers up his spine.

The first day was all very well. He’d been with his family for most of it so the full force of the experiment didn’t hit him until he had to step away to vlog. He'd felt sympathetic pangs when he talked Stevie into giving him intentionally vague details about how Rhett and the studio had got on without him, but he’d known Rhett was having the harder time. 

Now that he was faced with the reality of an actual work day without his partner it consumed his thoughts as he drove, incessant and loud. To stave it off he decided to play whatever CD was already in the stereo, cutting it off immediately when Merle Haggard began to play. _Too us._

He settled for the radio instead, singing and tapping away as long and enthusiastically as he could. If he listened closely enough, put the volume at the right level, and lost himself in it, he could almost believe the music was singing with him rather than at him. Very quickly he found himself unable to give the female artists the time of day, choosing to engross himself in singing with the deep-voiced males instead. As a luxury to himself, he chose not to dwell on exactly why that was. He knew, though. Every fiber of his being knew. 

Despite that he still somehow managed to screw up again when he stopped for coffee, walking in to order one but coming out with two hot cups. In his brain he knew it was right, until he went to place them in the car’s cup holders and swore under his breath. Out of hatred for his own brain he left his own cup untouched too, right up until he pulled in at the studio. 

The second cup ended up on Jen’s desk after he’d had a briefing with Stevie, as they talked through her work until she had to politely tell him to leave her to it, threatening him with a barrage of the embarrassing Tumblr posts that she had in her arsenal. They were friendly enough that he laughed and let her get away with it, although he thought she looked far too satisfied with herself. He made a mental note to dock her coffees as he left.

Unlike Rhett, who sought solitude, Link did everything he could to avoid being alone in the studio. He worked from one of the outer offices, he cleaned, and he mico-managed the staff until even he found himself annoying. But they still did everything they could to make him smile on and off camera so he could tell they understood. 

When he gave in and reluctantly trudged up to the office he was surprised that having it to himself was great at first. He chugged down one of Rhett’s drinks from their mini fridge when he noticed the suspiciously lighter weight of his snicker’s bag, and stole the better, smoother rolling office chair for himself. Since it was Rhett’s the back of it rose higher than he needed it to, but he liked that. He was so used to having a giant at his back that the extra height made it easier to work. 

He clocked it at about five minutes, if he was being generous, before the novelty of it wore off and he was left with only work and quiet. He kicked himself for his own scheduling when he saw it was a whole hour before they were set to film anything again, resisting the urge to talk to Stevie about moving it forward.

Dying for another change of scenery he grabbed his laptop and climbed the stairs to their loft, hesitating for a moment before laying himself on Rhett’s bed rather than his own. He breathed in the woodsy aroma just long enough to avoid creeping himself out, taking it in as if he hadn’t smelt it everyday since high school. Without thinking he grabbed one of the pillows out from behind his head and held it, fixing his eyes on the wall art hanging between the two beds. 

It was one of the pieces he had selected himself when they’d first started decorating this room, a simple deep red solid colour piece he liked even if he’d had to fight for it. Generally, they didn’t deviate too far when it came to taste and Link happily agreed with whatever Rhett found, but this one thing had been all him. 

 

* * *

_  
"The only reason you don't like it is because I like it." Link accused, reaching over to enlarge the picture on the laptop screen._

_“I’m not saying I don't like it I'm just saying it’s dark. It’s gonna fade into the walls.” Rhett argued, rolling his eyes.  
_

_“The walls aren’t that dark.” Link retorted, looking around the room. “The red will pop out enough. Just humour me and picture it.”_

_Rhett frowned thoughtfully, looking between the wall and the computer screen again. _“Tell you what.” He offered. “I’ll agree to the painting if you take that horse coffee table home today and it never enters the studio again.”__

_“Deal.” Link said easily._

_He was as good as his word too, lugging the coffee table into Rhett’s car at the end of the day. Rhett laughed, but not meanly, as Link carefully lodged it in the backseat, finding the determination endearing. He didn’t say anything but he did help Link find the perfect spot for it in the Neal residence, smiling at the look on Christy’s face before he left._

_Link didn’t expect, as he climbed the stairs to grab a script the next morning, to find the art already there, hanging high and proud in the center of the room. His only guess was Rhett must have gone shopping and come back later in the night to do it without being seen, and the thought warmed his heart._

_Decorating the rest of the loft and office had been easy after that, as they spent the next couple of weeks breathing life into the two spaces. First with more art, then with greenery, and finally with a little bit of fresh furniture. The laughter and the excitement of success were just the final shuddering gasps of air that woke it all up nicely. Link didn’t admit a lot of the pride he had for everything they’d done, but he was proud of their space._

 

* * *

 

Link knew he was going to have to wash the now tear soaked pillow by the time the memory lost its hold on him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short again I know, but things are going to be going down from Day 3 onward. Please leave any comment with your thoughts :)


	4. Day 3: R and L

_\- gotta wonder why they even do this anymore._

_\- acting really weird around each other._

_\- haven’t been seen together outside of the show in weeks anyway._

_\- this is going to be the end of the show._

Rhett sighed as he scrolled through the comments on the latest video, the flood of rumours making him want to shut his computer off and keep scrolling at the same time. To the right of the comments, he could see a video in the up next stream with Link in the thumbnail. It was enough to get him curious, but he staunchly scrolled past without clicking on it, knowing it would be a bad idea to watch.

Against his better instinct, he kept reading for some time, letting the words flow around him. It was nerve wracking how close many of them came to guessing the reality, throwing around ideas about where the experiment had come from. He guessed it was only a matter of time before the words counseling or therapy started floating around, and the thought made him feel dirty somehow.

None of the comments mentioned how devoid of spirit he’d been since the week started, or the way his heart was practically sitting in the open for all to see. Far from wishing the show to end the experiment was doing its job, making him realize just how much he needed Link. 

He could remember a number of holidays and a few times in college that they’d been apart, but nothing like this. None of those times had ripped his soul in half the way this week had, practically crippling him mentally and creatively.

Maybe that was what had made him push things too far this time, breaking the unspoken rule of non-violence they shared. Buddy System had kept them too close for too long, leaving him oblivious to the way it had blurred the line of their friendship until it was too late. He knew now that the fighting was all self-sabotage, his last failed attempt at reigning in the growing intimacy. He had to have been kidding himself, he thought, to think that would work. Nothing could erase the late nights they’d spent planning and crafting the show, or the time they’d shared writing in the house on the hills. 

In retrospect cohabiting in the mountains for something as personal as writing was probably a dangerous idea. At least in college, they’d had room-mates and were kept busy by their two separate engineering degrees. In the mountains they’d been totally alone, locked up with only their work and each other. It hadn’t been perfect, and there were a number of nights where they’d bit each other’s heads off over scripts, but it had been… close.

* * *

_A lamp threw light over the piles of papers lying on the coffee table, full of scrawled lyrics, and scripts. They’d talked and fought themselves out hours ago so nothing broke the silent creative process except the rustle of Rhett sifting through pages, sometimes adding a note or sentence. Link was leaning his chin on his hand, attempting to look thoughtful but failing to hide his drooping eyes._

_“You wanna call it a night man?” Link asked after he’d dozed off and jerked himself awake multiple times._

_Rhett shook his head, frowning down at the page he was working on. “I’m going to keep working on this song for a little while but you can if you want.”  
_

_“No that’s okay.” Link said quickly, sitting up straighter._

_Rhett started counting in his head as his pen stroked across the page, reaching two hundred before he felt the expected weight on his shoulder. Sure enough, when he looked over he caught a glimpse of Link’s slightly open mouth breathing into his arm in the midst of sleep. His pen had fallen to the floor on top of his cardigan but he kept a loose grip on the script page still in his hand._

_The earlier argument was forgotten as Rhett took in the peaceful sight, gently prying the page from Link’s fingers and placing it on the table. Trying not to disturb him, he carefully reached his long arms over to pick up his phone, maneuvering his body so he was facing Link. He angled the phone to get a better shot, making sure he had the flash off before he snapped a photo. The result was far more flattering than it deserved to be, considering it was a sleeping man with a half open mouth and his cheeks squashed into an arm. He made a quick decision to keep this photo for himself, knowing it would never see the light of Instagram._

_Rhett gave up on work soon after, expecting he’d get nothing done with his friend sleeping on him. He didn’t have the heart to wake Link so he grabbed the blanket hanging off the couches armrest, throwing it over the two of them. As an afterthought he put a cushion on his lap for Link’s head before lying back, easing his friend’s head onto the cushion as he went. In time his soft breathing harmonized in the air with Links as they slept through the night, curled up on the couch._

* * *

If you’d asked him a week ago he would’ve said he liked the photo because he was a decent photographer. But as he scrolled down his camera roll and sought out candid photos of Link, he couldn’t say that. He saw the loving lens through which he’d taken the photos, as well as the way he carefully lit and framed each one, and knew the real reason. He thought his friend was gorgeous. Gorgeous in a way he’d never appreciated in a man before, or would ever appreciate again. Link was a special case and had been forever. More correctly they were a special case, as they’d been told them many times before by people who knew them. 

Without planning it he closed the photo app and trailed his fingers over to his contacts, finding his therapist’s number before he even knew he was looking for it.

“Carole?” He spoke into the phone tentatively. “Am I still scheduled in for today?”

He thought she sounded a little too happy as she confirmed that he was, but he still grabbed his keys and left anyway. It wasn’t until after the session that he realized that maybe he shouldn’t have been in a hurry, because he found himself getting back into his car feeling shaky. Two conversations were playing themselves out in his head as he drove, one with Jessie and one with Link. Neither conversation was one he felt comfortable letting play out, and he was so involved in the mental scenarios that he missed the dark haired man driving in the opposite direction.

Link didn’t see him either, too engrossed in his own anxiety to worry about another driver. His body worked on autopilot as he pulled up at the therapist’s office, walking in the door Rhett had just walked out of. He was thankful that the waiting room almost empty and he wasn’t waiting long, making it through a single magazine article before he was called inside.

He sniffed a hint of petrichor in the air almost as soon as he walked into the office, the smell fresh in his mind from the nap loft.

“Rhett been in already?” He asked.

Carole raised an eyebrow. “What makes you say that?” 

“Smells earthy in here.” He said vaguely.

She smiled in a way that was too knowing for his taste, moving her chair from behind her desk and taking a seat. She gave him some time, allowing Link to sit there fiddling with his hands in case he wished to speak first. When she realized Link wasn’t up to sharing she broke the ice. “How’s the week apart?” 

“It sucks.” Link admitted. “Except for the time off at home, that’s great. But the rest sucks.”

She gave him a look of sympathy before she asked the next question. “Has it made realize anything about your partnership?”  

He frowned, thinking about it. “No. Just feels weird and sad.”

“What you have to remember is that if you lose what you have this is what it could be like permanently.” She said, leaning forward to drive the point home. “The whole point of this is to remind you of that.”

“If it is I don’t like it.” Link said, nervously scratching the back of his neck.

“That’s a good to know.” She said helpfully. “Makes you realize how important it is.”

He silently agreed with her, though he still fidgeted under her observant gaze. He hadn’t known her long but he felt like she could read him like a book, his instincts telling him to close it up. 

“Is there anything else you want to tell me about the week?” She pressed.

Link hesitated, holding his arms close to himself as he spoke. “Well, I think about him.” He told her. “Usually my entire day revolves around the guy so he’s constantly on my mind.”

Carole paused, her pen hanging in the air above her notepad. “Link - have you ever thought about what your feelings are?”

"What feelings?” Link said defensively.

She stared him down, clearly not buying it. “Charles.” 

“Don’t call me that.” He mumbled.

She resisted the urge to sigh and put her notepad down. “This isn’t going to work if you aren’t honest. You can tell me.”

“I love him, as a brother.” Link confessed, the last three words feeling fake on his tongue even as he said them. They tasted like salt and lies, making his mouth feel drier than it was already. 

"You’ve never thought about him any other way?” She asked, easily seeing through his words.

"I love my wife.” He said, as if that closed the matter.

"I know.” She said gently. “But It’s possible to love more than one person.”

“Not for me.” He argued, before adding. “At least I thought so.”

“Have you ever thought about telling him?” She asked warily.

“No!” Link said quickly, the idea terrifying him. 

“I’m not saying you should act on it.” She assured him. “But if that’s what you feel you should be honest about it. It’ll have to come out eventually.”

“And you think that’s a good idea?” He asked, looking skeptical. 

“I think it’s an inevitable one.” She corrected. “Whether it’s a good one is up to you and the other three.”

He looked down, his face lined with guilt as he realized how right she was. She thankfully didn’t ask him more about what he was thinking, as she went to turn her laptop around on her desk to face him. “I want to show you something.” 

The first thing he noticed was her screen was set to their Youtube channel. His own face and Rhett’s flooding the page. It seemed she already knew what she was looking for, because she immediately sought out one of Rhett’s videos and hit play. Rhett was eating at what appeared to be a sushi restaurant, wearing a cap and sunglasses. She seemed to have timestamped it to a certain part of the video, because Rhett was in the middle of talking about something. 

_“The thing about Link is.” Rhett began, popping a small piece of sushi in his mouth before he continued. “He is so picky that if he likes something he’s going to let you know about it and he’ll stick with it forever.”_

Link’s emotions were temporarily distracted by disgust, turning his nose up at the second piece of sushi Rhett ate. He refocused on what his friend was saying when it was gone. 

_“I’m not kidding. _He still has some things from middle school. I threw all that stuff out years ago but his is still sitting in his garage._ ” Rhett went on. _

_“It’s the same with people. So if you’ve been friends with Link for a long time you automatically know you’ve been deemed worthy, without question. That’s what I like about the guy, you know? I appreciate a person who can stick with something and know that this is their thing and that’s not going to change.”_

_He jammed his finger into the table to reinforce his point._

_“I’m not like that at all, you know this.” He added, gesturing towards the camera like he was conversing with the viewer across the table. “I have layers of obsessions that change constantly. The biggest thing I’ve stuck with is my hair.”_

_He ran a couple of fingers through the locks briefly, staring at it in the viewfinder._

_“Link is the only exception to that. He stuck with me and the bad habit kinda rolled off.” Rhett joked before his face fell into thoughtful seriousness. “That’s probably why this experiment is so hard.”  
_

The video fell silent as Rhett took his sunglasses off, rubbing at his dry but still very red and tired eyes. Link got a glimpse of them and decided he couldn’t watch any further, jumping up from the couch. “I’m sorry I have to go.”

Carole only had the time to pause the video and open her mouth to say something before Link was out the door. He stopped at the reception long enough to scribble a quick note of apology to leave behind before hurrying out, ignoring the curious glances that followed him. 

Despite his rush, he sat in the parking lot for some time, his thoughts running in overdrive. He couldn’t get over how broken Rhett had looked behind his eyes after such a short time. It was a look Link recognized from only a few places; the funeral of their friend Ben, his door step after he’d had a bad fight with Jessie and his own reflection. 

He took a reluctant glance at his own eyes in the car mirror and saw the same eyes from Rhett’s vlog looking back at him. He wanted more than anything to find Rhett and hold him until the deadness disappeared entirely, lighting them up again. He saw deep frown lines on his face that it was only too easy to imagine on Rhetts, making him want to run his hand over each one and turn it upwards. To press his lips to them and kiss away -

**_… Shit_.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you read and enjoy please leave a comment :)


	5. Day 4: Rhett

He was a coward. It had only been four days yet he was already reduced to hiding out in a toilet stall, sitting on the seat fully clothed. Not only that but a toilet stall of a company building he co-owned, with his fingers hovering over his phone’s call button like a child. He didn’t know how long he’d been sitting there with Link’s number punched in, stubbornly fighting the temptation that was eating away at him so strongly, but he knew he wouldn’t last against it. 

The ringing sounded overly loud in his ears when he hit the button, his heart pumping hard along with it. In truth part of him still really wanted to hang up, determined to make it through the week without this. But the other half was stronger, waiting impatiently until Link picked up on the other end. 

He didn’t expect the silence that greeted him, with nothing but Link’s breathing and a few muffled voices letting him know anyone had even picked up.

“Link?” He tried, trying to keep a relieved sigh from escaping him when Link spoke. 

“I could see it was you.” Link answered quietly. “I probably shouldn’t have picked up.”

“I just…” Rhett swallowed, unable to form anything but stuttering noises.

“I know.” Link said, reading between the pauses. “Me too.”

They both sat and listened to each other’s breathing for a few stolen seconds, drinking up the cheap imitation of each other’s company. Rhett could hear the distant sound of children coming from Link’s end, and could easily imagine Link sitting as he was, hiding out in the bathroom with his phone to his ear and a hand to his forehead. He knew what that looked like because he’d seen it once before, minus the phone.

He’d had to leave not long after one of Link’s soccer games, promising to meet him at the school gate so they could go to his house for the usual play by play. But when he got there he’d seen no head of dark hair waiting for him, or any sign of Link at all, and none showed up. He’d tried the locker room, a couple of classrooms, and even their usual spot by the trees before he’d thought to try the bathroom, immediately hearing someone in there.

* * *

_“Link?” Rhett called, following the noises he could hear towards a single cubicle. They sounded suspiciously like sniffles, killing his hesitancy immediately.  
_

_He pushed the unlocked cubicle door open to find Link sitting with his knees raised up towards his chin, sobbing into his arms. He was still wearing his soccer shirt and high socks, although his shoes appeared to be free of mud. Usually, he would inwardly chuckle at how Link hated dirty things so much he’d taken the time to clean his shoes off first, but not this time. He stared in shock and was about to open his mouth to speak when he noticed something in the area of hip visible from where Link’s shirt had ridden up._

_“What the fuck is this Link?” Rhett asked, his anger already rising as he spotted the dark patch of bruise hidden there.  
_

_“Nothing.” Link said quickly, wiping at his eyes and tugging his shirt down a little more firmly.  
_

_“Really?” Rhett said, raising an eyebrow and not believing a word of it. “That’s funny, I’ve still got a couple of nothings from basketball. What was this?“  
_

_“John Carson’s boot.” Link said bitterly, saying the name like it was something nasty sitting under his nose._

_Rhett’s face was red with anger but softened as he held out a hand to help his friend up. “Why’d it happen?”_

_“I’m a big gay loser.” Link said sarcastically, moving to wash his hands and splash some water onto his face._

_“I’m gunna kill him.” Rhett growled.  
_

_Link looked up at Rhett’s reflection behind him in the mirror, giving him a stern look. “No, you’re not.”_

_“You can’t just let him get away with -”  
_

_“I could handle him you know.” Link cut in. “If he pissed me off enough or I wanted to tell someone about it.”  
_

_“Oh, I know.“ Rhett assured him, rolling up his sleeves ominously before washing his hands. “Doesn’t mean I’m not gonna get a punch in.”  
_

_He finished washing and shook his hands off quickly, heading out the door before he could be stopped. He got a few curious looks as rushed down the hallway, heading straight for the soccer pitch with Link following close behind._

_“Carson!” Rhett yelled, gaining the attention of everyone as he stormed across the field towards his target.  
_

_John didn’t have the chance to turn the smirk rising up the corners of his mouth into words before Rhett got a fist into his gut, sinking it in hard. He watched in satisfaction as John doubled over, crouching in the mud._

_"Don’t touch him again.” Rhett warned._

_John snarled, recovering quickly although he still held a hand to his stomach. “Good thing your boyfriend is here defend you, huh?” He asked Link, rather unwisely.  
_

_The thinly veiled dig at Rhett was not lost on Link, and if anything it set fire to his rage more so than the further insinuation that he was weak. So before he could think he’d pulled his leg back and smacked it into John’s side, probably giving him a bruise to match his own._

_He was already rearing back his leg for another shot when Rhett grabbed his arms, holding him back. He turned and gave Rhett a look that said quite clearly ‘let go of me now’ but Rhett just shook his head, shooting back a look that said ‘you don’t want to get in trouble for this too.’_

_Link knew he was right as he noticed the looks on John’s friends’ faces. All of them seemed too intimated by Rhett’s giant frame to join the small fight, but the risk was there. He could also see a teacher walking up the other end of the field, not close enough yet to take in the scene but getting closer every second. So he let his breathing even out until Rhett could release his arms without fear._

_“If you have any decency you’ll get up before she gets here and act like it didn’t happen.” Rhett spat, turning his attention back to John._

_Grudgingly he seemed to agree because he stood up quickly and brushed himself off, giving time for the teacher to get out of their line of sight._

_“From now on you can consider him a McLaughlin.” Rhett continued, pointing a finger towards Link. “You mess with him you mess with both of us.”_

_Link face glowed in delighted surprise, visibly full of love and admiration for the guy next to him even as they walked away. He waited until they were well out of earshot before he turned to his friend with a question on his lips. “Why?”_

* * *

“Why’d we start fighting Rhett?” The adult Link broke through the haze, and for just a second Rhett felt like he was still on the soccer field until he shook it off.

 _I have a theory_ Rhett thought, but that wasn’t what came out of his mouth. Instead, he just said. “I don’t know, man.”

"After this week we gotta stop.” Link said seriously. “And this has gotta stop too if we’re gonna do this properly.”

Rhett didn’t like the way Link’s voice broke as he spoke, but he chose not to mention it. “You’re right. Three days huh?”

“Three days brother.” Link confirmed, sighing sadly.

Then, as if they’d both had timers running at both ends of the phone, Rhett heard a muffled cry of “Dad!” Coming from Link’s end. At the same time he heard a soft rap at the door of the studio bathroom, almost making him jump.

“Gotta go.” They said in unison. 

He took a second to hitch what he hoped was a casual look onto his face before he opened the bathroom door, but knew he hadn’t got away with the small cheat on the experiment when he saw Stevie waiting for him. There was no way she could’ve known what he’d been doing but she held out her hand anyway, waiting expectantly.

“You’re mean, boss.” He snarked, rolling his eyes and placing his phone in her hand. 

She ignored the comment and put his phone in her pocket, placing a company burner phone in his hand instead.

“Remember this is for you guys.” She said sympathetically, closing his hand around the phone with hers before walking away. 

“You know I have his number memorized right?!” He called after her, to which she waved her hand dismissively. Chase happened to be walking past in time to hear every word, mouthing the word ‘blocked’ as he passed.

Curious, Rhett tried to input his friend’s number into the phone, groaning when he found he wasn’t able to make outgoing calls to it. “Goddammit.” He swore under his breath.

Frustrated beyond belief he locked himself in his office and chained himself to his laptop for the rest of the day, considering a number of ideas that seemed really appealing in the moment. Firing certain members of the crew for instance, would feel satisfying, as did the thought of leaving and driving right over to Link’s house. He even tangled, for the fiftieth time that week, with the idea of sending out an email that cancelled the whole thing. But every time he did he could picture the annoyed expression on Link’s face, just as hurt as him but ever the completest. 

Three days was a hell of a long time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp. Sorry about the wait, hope this is worth it :-S


	6. Day 5: R and L

Link had stopped counting the crumpled bits of paper pooling around his desk by the time he’d gone through what felt like a small tree’s worth. Every page was filled through to the margins with dozens of attempts to understand, some more successful than others but all useless. Separate letters to Rhett and Christy, none of which he’d ever planned on them reading, were either disintegrated or lay in charred pieces, burned with matches he’d found in the kitchen.

He guessed he must have been trying to work for hours, but all he had to show for it were several recordings that couldn’t even pass for a demo. His favourite pair of headphones were now wrecked beyond repair from when he’d thrown them to the ground in frustration, forcing him to give up entirely. He pushed them aside with his foot and sighed, gripping his hair and tugging hard enough to make himself wince.

It’d been better when he’d felt like punching Rhett. That at least made sense, far more sense than the confusion he was feeling right now. He imagined things the way they’d been a couple weeks ago - with Rhett all up in his face and breathing into it in anger. How would he respond to that now? Would he hit him when he got too close? Or grab him and crash their lips together in the heat of the moment? He toyed with both scenarios, trailing his mouse aimlessly across the screen until decided that he wasn’t sure anymore. It would feel good to punish Rhett for doing this to him without even being here, but kissing him until they were both tired and over it was enticing too.

 _He wanted to kiss Rhett_. The acceptance hit him like a brick, the words scaring him more every time he repeated them in his head. Sure, he’d seen Rhett kiss plenty of times before, but beyond feeling his lips through plexiglass he’d never given a thought to what his friend’s lips would feel like. He’d definitely never considered the possibility that maybe they’d taste good - because it had never felt like an option before. Thinking about it made his nerves tingle with anxiety, flowing in waves straight to his heart while he ran a finger over his lips.

How many kisses would it take to get past this? He wondered. One for every day of this week? One for every year of their friendship? One a minute for however many hours it took? The guesses lost all meaning the longer they swirled around in his mind, trying desperately to minimize something real.

“Fuck!” He yelled at the ceiling in defeat, almost jumping when he heard a small voice coming from the doorway.

“Daddy?”

Lando was standing there, clutching a book in his hands and staring at him with a worried look on his face.

“Hey! Sorry, buddy.” He said with a watery smile. “Come ‘ere.”

He held out his arms for Lando to walk into, pulling him onto his lap to hold him when he got close enough.

“If you’re sad why don’t you see him?” Lando asked.

Link closed his eyes for a moment, willing himself not to cry in pain at the innocent comment. “Sometimes it’s good to be apart.” He said evasively.

Lando frowned, his little face scrunched up in confusion. “But… you’re supposed to be with your friends.”

Link chuckled. “Who told you that?”

“Mommy.” Lando told him.

“Well, mommy’s right.” Link agreed. “But hey, you gotta go do some school work don’t you?”

Lando grumbled, unwilling to move.

“Go on.” Link ordered. 

Lando gave him a quick hug before doing what he was told, letting the door to the office close behind him. Link waited until he heard his small feet pattering down the hallway before he let the smile plastered to his face fall. _Great,_ he thought bitterly. Now, on top of everything else, there was the question of how he would explain this to his kids if he had to. _Maybe they could explain it to me first_ his mind added unhelpfully.

To shut the thoughts up he threw himself back into his work, finally managing to lose himself in the rhythm of it. At some point, he started repeating the cycle like he was running on autopilot - his mind feeling blessedly blank until he reached into a pile of papers for some lyrics. He paused, his rhythm stumped as he realized some of them weren’t there. _Shit, tell me they’re here._ He pleaded to nothing.

The first, second and third pages went flying while he hunted for the rest, joining the others on the floor while he kicked himself some more. He waited until he’d eliminated all hope of them being in the office before he covered his mouth to muffle his frustrated scream and grabbed his phone. 

_Gonna be at the studio in 20, need to grab something._

He texted, and then against his own will added -

_Make sure Rhett’s out of the office for a while._

Any other day he would meticulously check for a reply, obsessing over whether they’d got the text or not. This time he didn’t, part of him hoping against hope that she wouldn’t get the message in time. So he dropped his phone into the console of his car, missing the red text popping up on the screen - _unable to send, retry_? while he drove off.

* * *

Rhett was just as oblivious when Link pulled up at the studio, too wrapped up in a heated conversation with Chase upstairs. He knew he was being meaner and pickier than Chase deserved, and maybe it was unfair to take out his Link frustration on him, but he couldn’t seem to help himself. Link frustration was nothing new but Link frustration without a Link to take it out on was downright annoying. Chase, having somehow become his stand-in partner for the week, just happened to be the scapegoat.

He hated arguing about something as stupid as costumes, and the only thing that aggravated him more was that Chase couldn’t even give him a fight back like he wanted. Link didn’t have his job to worry about when he fought back, and even when he held it in his emotions would eventually boil to the surface, letting him know loud and clear whenever he had a problem with something. 

It happened hat way just about every time it seemed.

* * *

_“Come on who is really gonna watch that.” Rhett argued._

_They were both tired and irritable but since it was their first late night of work in a long time they were forced to deal. Patience was already running thin in the room even before they’d brought up episode ideas, so it had been only a matter of time before it ran out._

_Link pushed the laptop aside, crossing his arms. “Why won’t you work with me here?”_

_“What if I don’t want to?” Rhett growled through gritted teeth._

_Link looked a little taken aback and hurt for a moment before he spat back. “Well, maybe I don’t want to work with you!”_

_There was dead silent for a second before Rhett spoke again._ _“We didn’t mean that.” He said quietly._

_Link knew he should say no, and his heart wanted him to say no, but in the anger of the moment, he didn’t want to do anything but hurt._

_“Didn’t we?” He said icily, leaving the room and slamming the door behind him._

* * *

It was a long while before Link came back, and even then it still seemed like he wasn’t truly there. Typically they could get over fights quickly, the worst lasting no more than a half hour or so - but this time the raw blade of the hurt had sunk in for days and then weeks, finally coming to a head in the mess of black and orange shards that started this whole thing.

After the first fight they’d tried to mend the wound for a few days, but no matter what they did their friendship didn’t heal quite the same. Rhett had walked in to find a piece of paper with a sweet gesture of apology waiting for him on his desk, and they got to a place where they could shoot GMM relatively normally. But still, the hurt of the words still scarred.

Thinking about it, Rhett excused himself to his office, digging deep into his desk drawer to pull out a piece of paper he recognized. It was a simple sheet of A4 folded in half, unmarked apart from his name scrawled in Link’s writing on the front.

A small print out of a photo, taken during the studio’s opening party, was taped into the left-hand side of the page, above the words _I didn’t mean it either_ written in black ink. They mustn’t have been too tipsy whenever the photo was taken because they still looked tidy and their eyes were happy and focused. It looked like Link must have taken the photo because one of his arms was stretched out to snap the photo on his phone, his other arm was slung over Rhett’s shoulder.

He remembered they’d clapped each other on the back for a job well done not long after this, before grabbing a couple of beers and getting up to say a few words. It was something he remembered fondly and he allowed himself some nostalgia before he focused on the other side of the page, where a totally different photo was tacked in.

This one was taken at a birthday party years ago, one of his own if the pizza was anything to go by. This time the photo had nothing but the word _always_ written underneath it, along with a single bloody fingerprint pressed and dried into the corner. It captured the tip of Link’s finger down to the middle, broken by a narrow strip of blank space that Rhett could only assume was where Link’s wedding ring had sat, wiped free of blood before Link pressed it to the page.

He traced the gap between the dried blood with a finger, and it served as an unwelcome reminder, weeks later, of the part of this he didn’t want to think about. So he placed it under a book on his desk under the illusion that it would make it go away, even though all it did was make him think about it more.

He was so stuck on it that when he stepped out into the hallway he almost didn’t see the head of dark hair coming round the corner, followed by his friend’s body. Finally, his brain caught up to what he was seeing and his breath caught in his throat, time coming to a halt as he took in the sight of his friend. 

Link seemed just as frozen to the spot at the sight of him and had no time to choose between ducking away or getting closer before Rhett was upon him, wrapping his arms around him tightly. Rhett didn’t bother with words, but simply held on until Link’s arms got tired and he let them fall to his side.

“Been missing me huh? You could’ve at least said hello.“ Link smiled, although the cocky effect was ruined by his disheveled hair.

Rhett chuckled into his shoulder. “We don’t do hellos.” 

“Then what do we do Rhett?” Link challenged.

He didn’t have a verbal answer but Rhett’s mind answered for him, his eyes flicking down to Link’s lips and realizing for the first time just how soft and plump they were. Before he could stop himself his hands were moving away from Link’s back, trailing across his arms and up to his neck, coming to rest just behind it. He was absentmindedly rubbing a thumb over the back of it before Link could drag his gaze away from his friend’s arm long enough to swallow hard and look at the man himself. 

It gave Rhett the opportunity to search his eyes, where he could sense fear and a hundred questions mingled in between the excitement. It wasn’t 100% assurance but it was enough to drive him forward. 

“This.” He answered, pulling Link forward and finally crashing their lips together in a deep kiss. 

He was scared for a second that Link might push him away when his friend’s eyes widened in shock, but was relieved when Link couldn’t resist kissing back. It was slow and explorative, interrupted only when Link felt a tongue inching over his bottom lip.

“Rhett.” He said loudly, able to resist kissing back a little more before repeating. “RHETT.”

“What?” Rhett said harshly, annoyed to be interrupted in the act of finally kissing him.

“Hallway.” Link warned.

Rhett looked around at the very open but thankfully empty hallway, letting out a noise of annoyance before grabbing Link’s hand and leading him towards their office.

Link widened his stride to keep up with Rhett’s, trying a warning again. “If someone sees…” 

“Shut up Link.” Rhett growled, grabbing him by the shirt collar and reaching behind him to open the office door with his other hand. When he got it open he practically threw him into their office, locking the door and laying Link out on the couch in an instant.

With a little awkwardness, he climbed on top of him and set about kissing every inch of his face and neck that he could reach with needy but gentle kisses. It was needy and heated, but he made no move to touch anything more just yet, soaking in the closeness while he had it. That was until Link tried to raise himself off the couch a little to reach Rhett’s face, making him shove him back down and take a nip at his neck.

“Ahh!” Link yelped. “You’re so aggressive Rhett.” 

“You have no idea buddy.” Rhett purred, before returning to the task of devouring his best friend. Within minutes they were lying there kissing lazily at each other’s faces, Link’s hand settling on Rhett’s lower back while Rhett’s stroked gently at his waist.

“Wait wait.” Link protested weakly, pushing at Rhett’s chest to get him off. “We gotta think about this. I can’t be here.”

“Screw the experiment.” Rhett rasped, sitting on his heels and attempting to pull Link up into his chest.

“W-we can’t.” Link stuttered, fighting off the lips now kissing his neck again. “We can’t. Not now. Come on man.”

Groaning and resigning himself to the loss Rhett let him go, falling back into the couch in frustration as Link stood up. He watched as Link smoothing down his clothes with his hand, a tad slower than was necessary to give himself more time before he spoke.

“Let’s just see this out and take the time to think a little bit.” Link suggested, his willpower crumbling when he turned and saw the pained look on Rhett’s face.

“I want this too.” Link assured him, defensively.

Rhett scoffed. “Doesn’t seem like it.”

“Really?” Link asked incredulously, his voice rising a fraction. “I sped on my way over here just so I could make it before Stevie had the chance to get you out of the office, you idiot.”

Rhett’s mouth fell open, but Link held up a hand to call for silence.

“I had Lando asking me what’s wrong. _Lando._ ” Link stressed. “He’s not even 10 yet and he’s got more intuition about this than I do.”

“Link…” Rhett tried again, but Link ignored him.

“I was sitting in my office having a mental breakdown over you and he’s worried about me.” Link laughed dryly. “What am I supposed to tell him? I can’t see you because I’m in love with you?”

The words were met with a heavy pause as Rhett took in what Link had said. “What’d you just say?”

“You stupid…” Link rolled his eyes and dived forward before he could finish his sentence, leaning down to press a long, lingering kiss to Rhett’s lips. He must have liked it because Rhett tilted his head sideways to taste more, allowing himself to enjoy the moment. There were no words exchanged but Rhett could somehow still feel Link saying  _I said I love you_ with the kiss.

It was a while before Link finally pulled away, and then Rhett immediately tugged him back in again, returning the favour with vigor. Link breathed in and sighed into the kiss, feeling relief as the weight of everything eased off for another blissful moment.

They both blinked slowly when it was over, still reeling from the shock and intensity of it all. “See you Sunday.” Link breathed.

“Sunday.” Rhett agreed, allowing himself to be kissed one final time before Link stepped away.

"Check to see if anyone’s out there first.” Rhett suggested.

Link quickly smoothed his hair a little before he did just that, peeking out the door into the still empty hallway.

“It’s clear.” He declared, this time making it one step out the door before Rhett stopped him again.

“Hey, Link?" 

Link turned, raising his eyebrow.

"You kill me you know,” He said seriously.

Link’s face softened, looking him dead in the eye with equal seriousness. “You killed me first.”

At that, he left and closed the door on him before they could say or do anything more. 

His smooth getaway would have worked except he was impeded by Morgan at the top of the stairs, stopping him in delighted surprise. The sound of the voices roused Rhett off the couch and he slid the door open an inch to watch, noticing Morgan pointed down to Link’s two top buttons that had come undone. Link thanked him and waved him off, turning to make eye contact with Rhett once he was safely out of the way. 

It was nothing but buttoning a couple of buttons but it still made Rhett groan anyway, watching as Link did up his top buttons and ssshed him with a finger. He felt like as long as he could see him he still had him, even if it was just for a little while.

Then he slipped away again 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: Welp. This took over a month to get out :-S I’m sorry! I’m not sure how I feel about this chapter and whether it was any good but it’s where I wanted it to go. Please let me know what you think :D


	7. Day 6: Link

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait!

He’d breathed easy knowing he had all of yesterday to think about it, and when that was over he told himself he had all of today. Now that ‘today’ was actually here he was starting to sweat a little, and it was fast becoming impossible to avoid it. Between the ghost of Rhett’s lips still lingering on his and his phone constantly buzzing he didn’t have much choice.

_**11:30 am** _

_**Rhett: I need to see you.** _

_I need to see you too -_ Link thought, but he still had to worry about what would happen once he had him. They were both long past denial, but there wasn’t anything to bargain. The worry and the familiar dull ache burning in his chest surged up and he was just starting to get used to it when his phone buzzed again. 

_**12:00 pm** _

_**Rhett: Link… Please.** _

_Please… what?_  Link silently asked him through the phone. Please ruin everything for us and end the experiment? None of that seemed good for anybody. Yet he still had to fight down the small part of him that argued  _It’d be good for you_.

_**2:00 pm** _

_**Rhett: I left work for the day. I’m done with this.** _

_But we can’t be done with this_ \- Link argued in his head, knowing it was the truth. By starting this thing in the first place they’d unknowingly destined themselves to ruin and now they had to live in the debris. 

_**2:02 pm** _

_**Link: You aren’t making this easy bo** _

He imagined Rhett sighing, ruffling his hair with his hand in frustration. 

_**2:05 pm** _

_**Rhett: could we drop the nicknames for now?** _

Link winced. He was right, endearments weren’t helping their resistance at all. 

_**2:07pm** _

_**Link: Sorry.** _

He couldn’t blame Rhett for ignoring him, he knew it was weak response before he’d even sent it but he had nothing else. There  _was_  nothing else that could appropriately sum up what he thought about all this in a text.

_**2:30pm  
** _

_**Rhett: made any sense of this yet?** _

Of course, he’d ask that. They’d had an almost telepathic sense of each other for so long that he probably should have seen it coming. 

_**2:35pm  
** _

_**Link: Have you?** _

* * *

_**2:37pm  
** _

_**Rhett: I feel like I’m gonna die and I’m about as close to figuring this out as you are to not eating cereal. You tell me.** _

Link chuckled quietly, stifling the sound with part of his hand in case Christy or the kids walked in and asked who he was talking to. 

_**2:40pm  
** _

_**Link: sounds about right brother.** _

_**2:43pm** _

_**Rhett: you could probably go easy on the ‘brother’ too.** _

_Yeah, because we were joined at the mouths yesterday_ , Link finished for him. He stopped his thoughts there before they wandered back to the moment in their office yesterday. 

_**2:50pm** _

_**Link: bye, Rhett.** _

His phone went so still and silent after he sent the text that he almost started to miss the hum. It was all that let him know that there was someone else in on this with him.

It didn’t vibrate again till Link was sitting in Carole’s waiting room at therapy,, but it wasn’t a text this time. Rhett had answered in the form of an email sent from a personal address. He didn’t need to ask why Rhett hadn’t chosen to use his family or business emails once he’d read it.

_**Dear Link,** _

_**I’m not going to insult either of us by pretending we aren’t a bad idea, or that there aren’t other people involved - you’re too smart for that _(remember I said that, you won’t hear it again). But I ain’t going to sit on my ass and pretend like it isn’t happening either._** _

_**I love you. But if you decide you just want to be friends when the end of tomorrow comes I’ll be okay with it. We’ve settled with that for this long so I can keep settling. It won’t be enough but I could.** _

_**Always,** _

_**\- Rhett** _

“Shit.” Link muttered under his breath, earning a glare from the woman next to him. Her expression softened immediately when she saw the look on his face so he turned away quickly. No doubt she thought he was depressed or something, but he didn’t have the energy to care. 

_**4:19pm** _

_**Link: you can’t just do that to me before therapy.** _

He waited a moment before adding -

_**4:20pm** _

_**Link: love you too.** _

* * *

“Charles Neal?” 

Link’s head jerked up at the sound of his name, trudging over to a woman beckoning him over. 

He regretted following her the second he was in Carole’s office, which felt more suffocating than before. The walls seemed like prison bars, the air was dry, and he felt hot at the collar. He knew the place was supposed to be inviting and comfortable, and to most people it probably was, but it wasn’t to him. Carol’s eyes staring into his like they could see into his soul weren’t helping either. 

“We didn’t get to finish what we started the other day.” She began, already taking a seat at her desk.

“I just thought I should probably watch the videos alone, and things were happening with the family. You know how it is.” Link lied smoothly.

“Okay.” She said, though she could tell she didn’t believe him at all. “How are things now?”

“Good.” Link said vaguely, biting his lip and settling further into the couch as if she wouldn’t be able to read him there. 

They both suffered through ten minutes of near perfect silence while he tortuously sidestepped the elephant in the room, talking about everything and nothing at the same time. He had to give her credit, she tried her best to reel him into talking about Rhett, but he couldn’t stop himself from clamming up.

“Is there anything you want to talk about?” She tried a final time.

“Not really.” Link deflected.

“Charles this only works if -”

“I just want to be anywhere other than my world right now.” Link cut her off. 

“You can do what you want with the time if it helps.” She told him, watching carefully as Link spotted a black and gray fidget cube on the coffee table. His hand dove for it and he avoided eye contact while he moved it in his hand. 

“Has something happened?” She asked knowingly.

Link didn’t answer that question at all, his finger absentmindedly flicking across the cube’s switches. It was beyond awkward and he was considering walking out on another session when she spoke again.

“If you’ve seen Rhett it’s okay.”

Link’s eyes immediately jerked up to hers, going wide and betraying him

“The technique’s been used so many times that ignoring it is kind of expected.” She said gently. 

Link managed a genuine smile back this time, while his finger swiped over the cube’s rollerball.

“Did you two have a fight again?” She pressed.

More silence filled the room, the only sound breaking it being the repetitive clicks and clacks of the cube. The hour was almost over before he spoke again. "Have you known someone as long as this?”

She raised an eyebrow in surprise. “I have friends from high school.

Link shook his head. "I’m talking from childhood here.”

She frowned and shook her head. “I can’t say many people have. You two are quite a rarity.”

He grinned down at his cube but didn’t elaborate on the question. 

“Is there any way I could borrow this?” He asked.

“You can keep it if you like. I have a whole lot of them. It helps if patients need stimulating or if they just need something to touch.”

Link nodded, though he didn’t get up to move. “We’ve got a bunch of these at the studio, we used them for an episode.“

“Sounds interesting.” She commented.

Link continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “Our kids called dibs on them all.”

Carole laughed. “Well, you’ll have to hide this one.”

Link nodded, running a thumb tenderly along the grooves of it before slipping it in his pocket. 

“Link?” She asked warily.

The use of his name surprised him enough to let his guard down. He was so used to her using Charles during the sessions that he’d almost forgotten that she knew him by any other name.

“If you decide you want to tell me you can call me. Even after tomorrow.” She offered.

“Thanks. I’m a jerk I’m sorry.” He said, hoping the sincerity in his voice was getting through.

“I’ve seen worse.” She teased, rising from her chair to shake his hand and hold open the door to let him out. 

“Thanks Carole.” He said a little sadly, granting her a polite kiss on the cheek before he left. “I’ll see you in a couple days.”

* * *

When he got home he smiled and lied through his teeth, making up a story when Christy asked how counseling went. He’d been doing it the whole week so now it was almost a routine. Typically he liked routine, but this one he hated.

He’d kept up a brave face when he walked through the door, he’d kept up a brave face during dinner and he’d kept up a brave when she led him by the hand to their room. It was like constantly filming since he could never drop the facade. She was the viewer and the show was dead if he let himself look sad.

Sleep was the only chance he could get but even that came slowly and uneasily. He was stuck imagining the end of tomorrow on loop - when all this would be over and he’d have Rhett back. His fingers tapped lightly at his bed’s headboard as he closed his eyes and tried to think of anything else, but it wouldn’t happen. The tapping soon turned into light strokes as he visualized Rhett in his arms, clutching him tightly to be sure he couldn’t leave again.

He fell asleep to the vision of Rhett’s hands running over him - gliding up his legs, running down his back, and pressing into his sides. He couldn’t remember if he dreamed the sharp intake of breath he drew when Rhett’s fingers finally brushed over the fabric of his pants, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. 

By morning all he could remember was a feeling of being both hot and cold, with sweat running down his neck and his hand still lying limply by the headboard. Worst and most confusing of all was the uncomfortable hardness he could feel throbbing in his pajama pants.

It felt strangely foreign - as if he was feeling someone else’s arousal, and the ache of it had him clenching his eyes shut once more. His fingers curled around the headboard again and he gripped it hard for support, while he struggled to resist grinding into the mattress. His hips were almost hurting with the effort it took to stop them moving automatically, but he fought hard.

It wasn’t unusual for him to be surprised by his body - typically on a morning like this next to his wife, or after an unexpectedly heated moment on G/M/M. But responding to the image of his friend’s body was a new experience altogether.

He didn’t dare ask Christy for help so he sighed, keeping his eyes closed and willing his erection to calm. Dealing with the throbbing felt like a final punishment. He wanted her slender arms and soft blonde locks cascading against him - but he also wanted Rhett’s long, large torso and beard against him too. He wanted it so bad that he wanted to scream into his sheets.

It wasn’t like he was a strange to having Rhett in his bed. The thought made him nostalgic for when they would share beds on trips, or in motels back when they couldn’t afford to spring for two rooms. It even brought but memories of sleepovers, when Rhett’s bedroom floor felt too dark and cold or Rhett’s back was too sore to sleep on Link’s floor. Or best of all, when he’d done it just to spite Rhett’s dad. 

* * *

_Rhett had forgotten to close the curtains that night so Link found himself waking up first to sunlight streaming in. He rose from his mattress on Rhett’s floor and looked up fondly at the sight of Rhett sleeping soundly in a mess of limbs splayed across the big bed. For a second he toyed with the idea of waking him up for the sake of it, but he slipped quietly out of the room when he decided he couldn’t break that deep sleep._

_The allure of bacon bits and cereal drove him towards the kitchen, but he paused when he heard voices behind the dining room door. He figured Rhett’s parents were probably getting ready for work, but something told him he shouldn’t walk in just yet._

_He hesitated before he pressing an ear to the wood of the door, and it was only a moment before realized what they were talking about._

_“Did they sleep in the same bed?” He heard Mr.Mclaughlin ask, before Mrs.Mclaughlin’s sweet voice answered back._

_“Of course not, Link sleeps on the mattress you know that.”_

_“I don’t what to think about those two anymore…” Mr. Mclaughlin trailed off, and Link didn’t like the implications in his voice. Apparently, mama Di didn’t either.  
_

_“Jim!” She scolded.  
_

_“I’m not saying they aren’t good boys.” He assured her. “I’m just saying that spending too much time with a boy ain’t good for Rhett. He’s never gonna find a girl with Link hanging on him all the time.”  
_

_The words settled in Link’s heart like a knife, wounding him deeply. He’d always liked Mr. Mclaughlin. He’d celebrated Christmas with him and his family, he’d been cheered on by him at soccer games and he’d even come on family vacations a couple of times. So to hear him talking now as if he was some kind of parasite he and his son tolerated stung._

_“You can’t go assuming anything dangerous now.” Mrs. Mclaughlin said sternly, and Link could almost picture her waggling her bread and butter knife at her husband. “Those boys are good for each other.”  
_

_Link’s heart soared with gratitude for mama Di at that, and he pressed his ear closer to the door to hear Mr. Mclaughlin’s reply._

_“That’s just the problem, maybe there’s something more to it,“ Jim said quickly - as if he’d been waiting to say this for a while. "I mean look at his hair.”  
_

_Link ran a hand through his long, silky locks defensively, letting it sift through his fingers. It wasn’t the first time he’d been teased for his hair, plenty of the boys at school had seen to that, but he’d always privately prided himself on it._

_“It’s girly.” Jim continued, and the knife in Link’s heart drove in further. “You gotta realize how that looks when he’s around Rhett so much.”  
_

_Link gritted his teeth and seethed, his eyes going red with anger._

_“If you say so, Jim.” Dianne sighed._

_At that moment he was alarmed by the sound of a scraping chair, so Link hurried away as quietly as possible, stopping only when he reached Rhett’s bedroom door._

_Rhett was still dead to the world when Link stepped inside and eased the door shut, walking over to the bed without thinking about it. Rhett stirred when Link nudged his legs over lightly and_ _groaned when he felt Link’s weight falling onto the bed._

_“Wha’ you doing bo?” Rhett mumbled, automatically rolling over to give his friend more room.  
_

_“Proving a point.” Link said, his voice muffled as he grabbed Rhett’s arm and draped it over him._

_Too tired to be bothered by it, all Rhett did was make a noncommittal grunt and let Link curl up in his arm. “W’as that?” He asked sleepily._

_That they couldn’t tear me away from you if they tried - Link thought, but he said nothing. Thankfully, Rhett seemed like he wasn’t up to pressing the matter so he went right back to sleep._

_They were out of bed before Mrs.Mclaughlin could wake them for breakfast._


	8. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A small interlude before Day 7

_Day 1 had been like missing an elevator by a few seconds, then having to take the stairs five floors up. Inconvenient, and worse the higher you climb._

_Day 2 was like reaching the top of that fifth floor and then feeling your foot sink through the air instead. It skims the surface of the landing, inches away from home - before you’re sent tumbling right back down. For good measure, the walls and stairs knock you around several times on the way down._

_Day 3 was like being submerged in one of the ice baths again. The pain was constant and unavoidable, while the biting cold of icy realization was enough to make anyone scream and howl. This bath was much longer than ten minutes, leaving you moving your mouth to try and make a sound that wouldn’t come out by the end of it. You aren’t sure what you’re trying to say and no one would be able to work out what it was anyway._

_Day 4 was like trying to climb out of a hole. The end of the week was a pinprick of light above you - but there’s someone shoveling dirt back into it, and the handholds on the walls had been carved out. Yet you try to climb anyway even though you know there’s no use in climbing. The tantalizing light of freedom sucks you in even as you’re buried by your emotions._

_Day 5 was like struggling to clear your throat of a burning lump that couldn’t go away. Initially just a tickle, it becomes a searing pain that travels down to your chest, making it feel tight. It won’t go away, coughing won’t clear it, and you can’t afford the only medication you need._

_By Day 6 even though you’re surrounded by people you feel like you’re in isolation at all times. Your home is an internal chamber where you pace, think and keep your hands busy until you eventually forget what it’s like to interact with another human being. You might move, work and function - but in your mind, you’re curled up on a bed staring up at the ceiling of your chamber. When you first lay down you’d been planning on calculating how far away freedom was, until you forgot you were counting._

_The dawn of 7 was like those few seconds after being released from the chamber. You blink rapidly as the light floods in the open door, and you don’t immediately comprehend that it has been opened. When you accept it has you begin to question everything from whether you’re dreaming, to whether or not it was actually time to leave. You’d lost your perception of time days ago, yet somehow it still manages to be the only thing on your mind._

_Time wasn’t trustworthy. By Thursday your feeble, human mind had already spiraled several days ahead and told you it must be Sunday. So when that Sunday actually comes you close and reopen the door a couple of times - shuffling your feet back and forth. Your dazed and confused mind struggles as you think - trying to decide whether to give time your trust again. Or if that open door is even for real._

and that was what it was like for Rhett to wake up.


	9. Day 7: Week's End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The seemingly never-ending week is finally over for the guys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies as ever for the wait! I'm currently packing to move house and inspiration can be a b**ch. Hope you enjoy :)

Just being in Rhett’s presence had the crew jittery and on edge. The tension was practically pouring off him as he auto-piloted his way through meetings and downed two plates of pasta for lunch. He watched the clock all day like the hands were about to grow limbs and walk off the face of it, focused on nothing but the passing hours. He’d groan occasionally at how slow it seemed to be passing, craning his head to look so often he appeared to have a tick. Between his beard and his growls of disappointment, he looked even more wild than usual.

"Hey, Chase," Rhett called over his shoulder when he got particularly frustrated. "Are there  batteries in this thing?"

Chase smiled in amusement as he looked up at the perfectly working clock. "There are definitely batteries in there."

Rhett mouthed something that might've been a curse before getting up, hoping that moving would give him the illusion of keeping busy.

Stevie dealt with his impatience for a solid four hours before she finally got sick of listening to it, and Rhett was impressed she’d even lasted that long. If it had been him, he thought, he probably would’ve told himself to shut up hours ago. In fact, if his head had been on earth at the time he might’ve laughed at such a small person practically shoving his 6 ft 7 body out the door of his own studio. He managed to grab his guitar on his way out when she suggested it, not wanting to be a total monster.

"Go work on some songs or something."

It wasn’t until he’d slipped into his car that Rhett realized he didn’t know where to go. The thought of going home made him want to turn around and walk right back into the studio, but hiding out from Stevie in his office all day wasn’t inviting either. Tapping on his wheel thoughtfully, his mind wandered of its own accord to the calming image of crashing waves and soft sand. He was reminded strongly of the _all night long_ shoot, and of them standing by the water and waiting for the sun to go down. As exhausting as the rest of the night was he couldn’t remember ever feeling so peaceful.

Without consciously planning on it, he drove off - letting his internal GPS guide him to Santa Monica. It was a strange choice since it wasn’t a beach he spent a lot of time at, but he was never one to go against fate. 

Most of the locals were still at work but that didn't stop the steady throng of tourists coming to the beach in droves. Not wanting to be noticed, Rhett wore his hat low and made himself look as small as possible, on the off chance that he'd be recognized. His guitar didn't help, since people had come to expect street performers out by the beach, and there was only so much he could do when his height was so distinctive. But it seemed to work until he found a secluded section of beach and settled onto the sand.

The air and the ocean went right through his nose, ears and mouth and then straight up to his head - blissfully clearing it. All he could see, even in a place as beautiful and busy as this, were the two brunettes of his life right at the front of his mind.

He told himself this headspace outing - as Carole liked to call it, wasn’t about choosing. Yet he couldn’t help imagining both of their laughs in his head, or the idea of wrapping his fingers around locks of her hair versus running them through Links. Her lips and his sharp jaw. Her curves and his broad shoulders. His marriage and their history… because that’s what it came down to. Two oaths, two histories, two loves, and two different kinds of family.

Link had been with him forever, and their bond was arguably deeper and definitely longer than his with Jessie. There were parts of himself that he’d shared with Link that Jessie could never be part of, and then now… there was more.

Yet she was his family in a way Link had never been, and it was her that he saw whenever he looked into Locke and Shepherd’s eyes. She had the same wit, humour and rebellious spirit that Link did - like two flaming fireballs. Except they both burned far apart and if he got too close to one he’d be scalded.

Grabbing his guitar from beside him, he let his fingers strum on autopilot. At first the chords weren't from any particular song at all - but, after a while, it began to sound like the melody of an old, abandoned song of theirs. Surprised he could remember it so clearly, a new verse fell into his head before he could stop it.

He didn’t dare sing what was in his head aloud - but he hummed, mouthed and imagined it as clearly as if he was singing it out loud anyway.

_Let me tell you about a dream I had last night_

_where you were mine and I was yours._

He could practically see and hear Link sitting on the sand, backing him up as easily as ever. “What else happened?”

You became a lover

“and I became yours”. He heard Link sing again in his head.

_I held and had you like before_

_and then, oh baby, so much more._

He was now so lost in the music that his fingers seemed to move across his guitar on their own, as if they’d sung this song together just yesterday.

_Then choices were undone_

_“How many?”_ Link piped up in his head.

 _“Just one.”_ Rhett imagined himself singing back.

_It was simple and easy,_

_not dysfunctionally unpretty._

Except it wasn’t simple, functional or pretty, Rhett reminded himself. In actuality, it was a tangled mess of a love affair, bound to only get messier at the end of this day. His mind disrupted again - his fingers stopped moving and he put the music in his head aside along with that image of him and Link on the beach.

It was Link that had decided on midnight, making it clear he wasn’t about to sleep on this again. They’d thrown the whole thing out the window two days ago, but no one else was to know that if they could help it. Having Link back was something no phone call or heated near quickie could imitate, and if he had anything to say about it, they were damn well not going to wait a minute more than they had to after the end of this experiment.

The appeal of the beach gone, Rhett gave up on the day and slipped away through the crowd, finally heading home to wait out the day.

* * *

 

Link wasn’t faring any better. He fought against his own will for the better part of twenty-four hours, but he only lasted until 10:00 pm before he left the house. Partly because he was impatient, but mostly because Christy grew sick of watching him sit around fidgeting and sipping back coffee after coffee.

The face of his watch read 10:20 by the time he pulled up to the studio, putting his car in park and tipping his seat back a fraction. The night was bright and breezy so he wrapped his cardigan more snugly around himself as he looked up at the full moon and stars. The cliche romanticism of it all wasn’t lost on him as he lay there, but he couldn’t deny the excitement. He tried seeking out his own star to pass the time, locking onto one of the brightest he could see.

He remembered sitting on the hood of his car in this same parking spot, just before one of his birthdays. They’d dunk and sunk a couple of beers in the moonlight, enjoying a private celebration before Link was overwhelmed by other family and friends on his actual birthday.

_“That’s your one right there,” Rhett said, sounding certain as he pointed out the brightest star in sight._

_“You know there are specific coordinates that come with those things right?” Link teased,_

_“Humour me,” Rhett protested, and there was a tinge of seriousness in his voice that made Link follow his finger, admiring the star as his own._

_“We need to get you one.” Link commented, frowning up at the sky._

_Rhett laughed. “You got me the redwoods, that’s enough ain’t it?”_

_“Yeah but you can’t have mine up there without yours.” Link argued. “That’s like… going against the universe or something.”_

_Rhett took his eyes off the stars and looked at his friend instead, pondering him long enough for Link to feel the stare._

_“What?” Link demanded._

_“You just admitted your star needs me.” Rhett teased._

_Link rolled his eyes and lay back on his car’s hood “You’re a dork.”_

_“Weak sap.” Rhett shot back, though he smiled warmly as he said it._

_Neither of them were in a hurry to end the private celebration that night. No matter when they moved from their spots on Link’s car, there was only stress and hustle waiting. So they dragged out the last sips of beer and enjoyed it for as long as they could._

Link figured he must have dozed off watching the stars because it seemed like no time at all before he was jerked awake by the headlights of Rhett’s car. Rhett seemed in a hurry too, because he tore into the nearest car park and was out before Link had the chance to rip his seat belt off himself with trembling fingers. It was stupid considering he saw his friend almost every day for the past couple of decades, but he couldn’t help his heart thumping at the sound of Rhett’s footsteps getting closer.

He leaned over and shoved the door open for him when Rhett got close, waiting impatiently for his friend to clamber his giant body inside.

“Hey.” Rhett said awkwardly,

Link offered him a small smile, gulping for air as his eyes stayed glued to what he could see of Rhett’s face. “Hey.”

There was silence while Link set about memorizing every inch of his friend. From the specific way his hair curled to the scent of that familiar cologne.

"Nice night, huh?” Rhett asked awkwardly.

Link laughed so hard his eyes started to water, clutching the dashboard of his car for support. “You serious?”

“It's gotta better than the four lanes line.” Rhett mocked.

Link groaned. “I was young, shut up.”

They grinned at each other in the darkness until the spell wore off and they were hit by reality again. They were sitting in a car in their studio carpark - with plans to do and say god knows what. It only took a moment for Link to notice that Rhett wasn’t smiling anymore, but was instead biting his lip nervously.

“Wow, Rhett.” Link breathed.“I haven’t seen you this nervous since you started dating…”

The expression on Rhett’s face made him cut off his sentence, swallowing the end of it hard. In apology he leaned across his seat and rested his head on Rhett’s shoulder, settling it there comfortingly like he had in Buddy System.  

“Sorry, man.” Link said sincerely, clasping Rhett’s hand that had moved to his shoulder.

“It’s fine, you aren’t wrong,” Rhett admitted.

He allowed them a few minutes of bliss in the quiet of the car, much like Link’s birthday, before he had to pull away.

“So do you know what we’re doing here tonight?” Rhett questioned, blinking rapidly at the intensity with which Link was now staring at him. “Because -”

Link cut him off by pulling him in abruptly by the fabric of his jacket, kissing him deeply. Rhett’s hands hung in the air like he didn’t know what to do with them before they eventually fell to the sides of Link’s neck, holding him close. Rhett braced himself with one hand on the dash to stop himself from falling into Link, even as he wanted nothing more than to melt into him.

“Come inside,” Rhett pleaded, his voice low and quiet with desire.

Link nodded against his forehead and pressed a final kiss to his lips before breaking away, allowing himself to be lead out of their parking lot.

After all this time there was no need to tell each other where they were going. As one, their tall frames seemed to glide towards the studio’s back entrance, meeting under the security light by the door.

Not willing to lose contact, Rhett kept a hand on the small of Link’s back as he punched their security code into the keypad. When it was open he led Link inside, catching his lips again.

Their lips and bodies stayed connected as they moved through their building like they were christening the place all over again. Link dropped his cardigan near the seats in the lobby; Rhett lost his shirt somewhere near the crew’s lockers, and his jacket was hanging off a banister on the stairs. Somehow Rhett had the presence of mind to remind himself they’d have to pick those up later, even as he felt Link sucking at his lips.

They found a hundred new ways to say each other’s names that night - something they used to think was near impossible. Growing up they’d screamed each other’s names from the stands of basketball and soccer games. They’d used them to scold each other for loose lips around their children. Then this past month they’d screamed them in anger enough times to leave their voices hoarse.

But never had they moaned them as their lips found each other’s necks and bodies. Never had they whimpered them in tearful need as Link’s tongue ran teasing circles along Rhett’s stomach, or as Rhett slowly massaged Link’s lower back and pressed it gently into the mattress of the loft bed. They couldn’t say they’d ever yelled them in intense pleasure as they clasped hands, holding tight to the newly regained contact as Rhett fucked up into Link’s body.

It was inevitable that the sex was impatient and needy. The repressed emotions of decades made them want nothing more than to take each other with no reservations, experienced or not. But they couldn’t help the feeling that it would cheapen the moment. So against their own urges, it was slow and lingering, taking the time to explore this new dimension to their relationship. They didn’t say each other's names at all as they came, seeing no need now that they had found each other again.

The music of the night came to a slow fading halt ending on their office couch. The usual hustle and bustle of crew members passing by their office asking for things was gone, as was the hum of business they could typically hear right outside their door.

“Did we really just do that?” Link asked in shock.

Rhett grinned and leaned over to briefly press his lips to a spot of skin just under his goozle that he now knew drove Link crazy. “I’d say so.”

Link just stared off into the distance and lay back in his seat on the couch, attempting to collect himself. Both of them could feel the pull of exhaustion attempting to claim them but neither of them had any plan on ending the night here.

“I’m going to go get us some coffee.” Rhett offered, rising from the couch slowly.

“You don’t drink coffee now.” Link reminded him.

Rhett’s widened his eyes and rubbed at his temples tiredly. “I do tonight.”

In his current state Link couldn’t argue, so he made no move to stop him.

“You know what I want?” He asked weakly.

Rhett didn’t bother to answer and just waved his hand dismissively, already heading out the door. The truth was he’d memorized things as trivial as Link’s coffee order at least a decade ago. It was simply knowledge you had to know about a person - just like their birthday or their phone number.

Drawing on the last bits of energy he had Rhett gathered the pieces of clothing they’d left behind on their way in, throwing them over his shoulder on his way to the empty breakroom.

He’d never been afraid of the dark but he still didn’t like the dark emptiness of the place at this hour - so he threw the two coffees together as quickly as he could and brought them carefully up the stairs to their office.

Link sat up straighter when Rhett walked in and eyed his cup like he was lusting after it, almost failing to notice when Rhett went to throw their clothes in a corner. It wasn’t until Rhett caught Link’s raised eyebrow that he folded them haphazardly and laid them on a chair.

“Oh, sweet caffeinated heaven.” Link groaned, gratefully taking his cup when Rhett held it out.

A smile played across Rhett’s face as he watched Link take a long lingering gulp of the hot beverage, catching Link doing the same when he took a sip of his coffee.

“You look different.” Link said thoughtfully.

“Good different or bad different?” Rhett asked. “You can’t tell me you don’t like this now.“

Link rolled his eyes, grabbing one of the small cushions beside him and throwing it at him. He sighed as he sat back and took several more sips of his coffee, hoping he’d imagined the next words out of Rhett’s mouth.

“You know we’ll have to tell ‘em right?”

The smile dropped from Link’s face as Rhett’s words brought him crashing back down to reality. “Do we have to have that conversation tonight?”

“We don’t have to but we’re going to anyway so....” Rhett trailed off, placing his mug on a side table and tugging Link into his chest.

"What do you think we should expect?” Link asked.

“Well.” Rhett pressed his chin into Link’s hair as he thought about it. “In a way, I don’t think they’ll be surprised. Furious, but not surprised.”

“You make it sound so simple.” Link complained.

Rhett snorted, reaching over to brush his hands gently through Link’s hair. “Nothing about this is simple.”

Link chuckled dryly. “You got that right.”

It was a moment before he could say what he was really worried about, as Christy’s face entered his mind.“What if they hate us?”

Rhett’s mood plummeted as he imagined the very real possibility. Images of Jessie throwing the door in his face floating around in his mind. They were quickly followed by a horrible image of Link, red and teary eyed - throwing a door in his face and yelling at him about ruining everything.

“Do you think she could ever hate you?” Rhett asked.

Now it was Link’s turn to picture the worst, remembering a phone flying at his face on their worst fight. Ironically, it wasn’t too far from how this week had started with that shattered mug. “For a while, yeah." Link admitted.

“A while isn’t forever,” Rhett assured him. “And it’s definitely not tonight.”

“That’s true.” Link said quietly.

Yet neither of them seemed to talk about it any longer, lying awake in comfortable companionship until the sun started to rise.

They’d seen many a sunrise together but something about this one was different. Link thought maybe it was because he’d never had the chance to see what Rhett looked like in the morning - with the happy glow of sex illuminated by dusty sunlight.

Or maybe it was because he was in territory that was familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time. The memories made that night had added a whole new dimension to their space and the light of dawn peeking through the blinds on their office window made it feel weirdly homely. Even Rhett’s arms, which had held and clasped him plenty of times before, felt more intimate wrapped around him now.

It felt right, and Link was suddenly overcome by a desire to know if it did to Rhett too.

"Would you go back?"

Rhett's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Back to what?"

"To before we happened." Link elaborated. "Would you go back?"

It depends on which ‘we’ you're talking about, Rhett thought. The _we_ that met in Ms. Locklear's class, the _we_ that had kissed in their hallway a couple of days ago - or the _we_ of tonight. No matter which it was, the answer was the same.

"If you wanted me to I could."

Link looked him down sternly. “That's not what I asked. That’s what you’d do for me."

Rhett shrugged.  "It’s what I said in the email isn’t it?"

Link frowned and got up off the couch, turning his back to give himself some space. Rhett stared after him but didn’t get up to follow.

"You want the honest answer?" He asked.

"Of course I want the honest freaking answer!" Link exclaimed without looking at him.

Rhett thought about everything he'd gone through that week and how he felt about Link now. Link, the 6ft - male exception to his usually girl crazy heart.

"I don't think I could." He said quietly.

Link turned back to him, his arms still folded tightly around his chest. Sighing deeply, he nodded. “Thank you.”

It was several seconds, or maybe several lifetimes before Link asked his next question.

"So what do we do?"t

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are life, please leave one if you enjoyed


	10. The Honeymoon's Over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long wait once again lovely people :) hope this makes up for it.

Saturday had always been Link's favourite day of the week. The countless mornings of waking up to sunshine; a warm bed, a wife and the laughter of his kids all blurred together like a dream - and his memories of bike riding or hanging by the river with Rhett were some of the best he had. But even all of that would have trouble measuring up to this one.

He didn’t remember when they’d finally fallen asleep, figuring they must have eventually talked themselves out and dozed off. All he knew was the sun was now a lot higher in the sky and Rhett’s arm had somehow wrapped around him in while they slept.

He’d never admit it but he liked the feeling of being held by Rhett. It made it hard to put on a show of nonchalance for the camera, and he’d been called out on it too many times to count over the years. Somehow even the silliest and simple wheel endings, like when he’d been a beached whale - ended with him in Rhett’s arms. He remembered how relaxed his face looked as he was all but lulled to sleep, enjoying the feeling of Rhett holding him and groping his chest softly and tentatively. It was one of many times that felt almost too intimate to upload.

Despite the fact that Rhett was still sleeping, the arms around him now felt anything but unsure - wrapped snugly around him. It almost felt like the life of a Link from another reality, living one of the multi-verses Rhett always talked about. He'd had this Rhett inside him less than five hours ago, and then gladly returned the favour - yet he still felt like he was invading the privacy of this other Link. A Link that never married Christy and was enjoying a blissful honeymoon period with his Rhett. A Link that didn’t wait till his 30s to make sense of the feelings he had. It felt indecent to think he could kiss this Rhett, after years of refusing to. Or that he could look at or touch him in the aftermath of intimacy. Those moments still seemed like they belonged to Jessie and the girls that had come before her. Not him.

He was suddenly grasped by an urge to reach out and poke the snoring giant, like a little kid testing if he was still dreaming. More to prove this wasn’t some illness or alcohol induced fever dream than anything else. Not wanting to wake him, Link instead pressed his palms lightly into Rhett's chest and raised himself to get a better look at him.

Even without the glow of sex, Rhett would look good in the morning. Link had seen him in the morning plenty of times; between sleepovers, living together, and hotel rooms - but never like this. Not even when Rhett would bring a girl home. When he did Rhett would always be a room away or still sleeping when Link got up, only catching Rhett when he was already stepping out of the room and fixing the morning mess of his hair.

Apparently, Rhett could sense eyes on him because he opened one eye groggily, blinking up at Link before opening the other one. “Morning.”

“Morning.” Link smiled.

Link saw his own feelings of disbelief and surrealism mirrored on Rhett’s face as the taller man raised a hand to brush his bangs aside, assumedly to give him a better view of his face.

“How’s your back?”

“Still sore.” Rhett admitted. “But that’s not entirely from the couch.”

Link smirked and leaned down to kiss him. “Well that’s good. We should probably get up.”

Rhett groaned and reached blindly for his friend’s hand when Link got up to walk away, already throwing on a shirt. “Stay.”

Link chuckled and kicked Rhett’s pants towards him from the corner. “We can’t sleep away all the time we have. Get up, man.”

Reluctantly, Rhett gave in and sat up - watching Link slip his jeans over his hips and enjoying the way they shimmied as he pulled them up. The sight made Link grin when he noticed what Rhett was staring at. “You want a picture?”

“I want a whole album.” Rhett retorted, still staring at Link with his mouth slightly open.

Link laughed. “Put your pants on already.”

Rhett did, not bothering to put a shirt on before following Link out of their office.

They didn't make a habit out of coming into work on the weekends - so it was rare to see the studio so calm for once. There was no Chase making props in the workshop room, and no Mike and Alex making a racket in the back alley. Nor was there Stevie poking her head in their office door or Jen clacking away at her keyboard. As much as they loved the crew it was refreshing to have the space just for them after so long.

They didn’t talk much that morning, preferring to spend it simply being with each other. Link kissed gently at Rhett's shoulder while the taller man tried to get work done in an outer office, a tease that Rhett returned by running a hand over Link’s thigh when they moved to working in the editing suite. They came to an unspoken agreement that the touches weren’t going to lead into anything just now, as they comfortably shared what they’d done separately the last week.

They kissed like they were learning how to again, mastering how the grooves of their tall bodies fit together like a puzzle. Rhett still leaned down further than he needed to since he was used to accommodating someone shorter. Link rolled with it a few times, letting Rhett lean him against a counter. But then he started pushing back into the kiss until he had Rhett standing almost at full height. It left the taller man just low enough for him to reach his mouth, and he took full advantage.

It wasn't until the blissful haze faded into late afternoon that they told each other without words that the honeymoon hour (or hours, Link corrected in his head) had to end. The studio was nothing but a limbo for the reality that waited for them behind the doors, and like it or not reality was a bitter pill that waited for no-one. Not even for them.

They both easily agreed that it was wrong to use the studio for what had to happen. It would feel wrong, they decided - to explain this in the place where it happened.

Link could still feel everything when he looked around their office. Rhett's shirt was still folded away in the corner, and when he looked towards the loft he could see echoes of them making their way up the stairs - with their hands fumbling for each other. Every time he looked down at his own body he could practically feel Rhett's hands on him, and every time he looked at their couch he saw them together. It wouldn't be right.

Rhett had the guts to pick up his phone first.

He didn’t call - Link doubted Rhett had the nerve to do that any more than he did. He texted instead, pausing every so often as he carefully worded what he wanted to say. Finally, Rhett seemed to settle, pushing send before he could change his mind.

"Your turn." Rhett told him, grabbing Link's phone off the desk and holding it out.

Link didn’t take it immediately, feeling nervous as he eyed his own phone. "Do we have to do this?"

"Would you feel right if we didn't?"

 _No, I wouldn't_ Link thought, reluctantly taking the phone from Rhett's hand. "I didn't feel right doing it to begin with."

He didn't realize what he'd said until he saw the deeply wounded expression on Rhett's face.

"That's a lie." Link corrected quickly. "I didn't mean that."

He wanted it to somehow serve as an apology for discrediting what had happened - without dismissing the consequences. Thankfully Rhett seemed to get the message, pulling him in close.

"I know," Rhett said, pressing his lips to his friend's forehead. "Just do it."

Link sighed and gathered the courage to take his phone, pulling up Christy’s contact.

**_Gonna be home in an hour. Rhett and Jessie will be with me. We need to talk._ **

He toyed with the idea of adding a smile or emoji to ease the tone, but decided against it. At the very least if she felt the weight of the text she wouldn't feel as blindsided by what he had to tell her. He seemed to hold his breath after hitting send, waiting for the damage to make its way through the digital sea of circuits to reach her phone. Her response was short and sweet:

**_Okay. I'll be home._ **

_She knows something’s up_ he thought immediately. Even through text he could sense it a mile away. The idea did nothing to help his nerves as he pocketed his phone and glanced at Rhett.

"You ready to face the music?"

Rhett sighed. "We could just... stay here for an hour." He suggested. "Or five."

Link grinned weakly, trying not to look too tempted by the idea. "'fraid that's not on the cards brother."

“Damn.” Rhett complained.

As a test Link stepped in close and breathed in Rhett’s scent, smelling himself and sex on him.

“We should probably shower.”

Wrinkling his nose as he sniffed at the air around them, Rhett seemed to agree. “You first?”

Link cleared his throat as a steady blush seemed to run up his cheeks. The shy embarrassment made him feel like a teen again. “I was thinking together. Save some water and power.”

“Oh.” Rhett said, his eyes widening and a smile growing on his face. “Okay.”

They had even more of a chance to really see each other in shower, now that they were in proper light and running soap over their bodies. Link admired the sight of Rhett’s hair slicked down with water, having not seen it for a long time. In return he caught Rhett’s eyes wandering over his chest and shoulders, admiring how the water settled and ran down them. Inevitably his gaze went lower and fell upon his dick, which was already semi-hard just from the presence of another naked body.

Before he even realized what was happening Link found himself pressed into the shower wall, and within a few minutes he was already in need of more soap. The shower was a steamy mess of cum, water, and hot breath as Rhett pulled out of him for the third time in twenty-four hours - leaving him aching, empty and overwhelmed.

It was unfortunate, really, that he was left with the image of Rhett fucking him into the shower wall - at a time when he had to try really hard to drive those thoughts of his head. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy the image, in reality it was enough jerk off fodder to last him a lifetime. But it wouldn’t do to be driving home to his wife while he was doing all he could not to fantasize about his friend’s large cock pounding into him.

They held hands as safely and tightly as they could on the ride to Link's house, as if they'd never be able to do it again after this trip. Just as quickly they broke away, spotted Jessie as they pulled up to Link’s house.

He didn't know how he did it but Link managed to call out a quick hello that sounded almost normal, before averting his gaze as Rhett planted a chaste kiss of greeting on her lips.

They found Christy making coffee for four in the kitchen, the tasty fumes wafting towards them and smelling far better than anything Link felt like he deserved.

He wasn’t given long to wallow in it, as his kids walked in from the next room to greet him.

Lando immediately latched onto him in a hug while Lilly and Lincoln hung back a little by the door to the lounge.

“Hey guys.” He said cheerily, hugging lando back with one hand, while he ruffled Lilly and Lincoln’s hair.

Christy and the kids all offered a hello to Rhett and Jessie after that as well, but Link could still see a curious and wary look on Christy’s face as he kissed her hello.

"Lil? Can you take the boys outside for a while?" Link asked, once he’d pulled away.

“Sure.” She nodded.

When Lilly had ushered them out into the yard like someone twice her age, Link rolled the sliding door closed and slid the lock shut.

"Babe, why'd you lock that?" Christy asked suspiciously.

Neither of them answered her as Rhett pulled out a chair at the kitchen table for Jessie, leaving Christy to slip into the one next to her.

The two women sat almost shoulder to shoulder, looking as beautiful as ever. They wore matching expressions of such curiosity and camaraderie that made set in deeper into Link’s chest. Not once - as they'd fucked and then considered the ramifications to their own lives, had he or Rhett stopped to think about the girl's friendship. The weekend had already hit him and Rhett like a bomb, but was it destined to break up every friendship the families had in one atomic blow?

His steady stream of panicked thoughts only stopped when he felt Rhett move to stand beside him, clasping his hand and gripping tight to center him. It was just like he’d always done when they were alone as kids and offering pep talks.

Link looked down at their linked hands like they were a foreign object he was trying to figure out, still getting used to the new normality of it. When he pulled his eyes away he found Christy's gaze was fixed on the same spot, looking confused. He deliberately averted his gaze from Jessie,  not wanting to see the hate, hurt and anger she might already be aiming towards him.

Desperately, he shot Rhett a pleading look, begging him to start the talking while he was still holding it together.

“We have something we have to tell you.” Rhett began. “Something happened after the last week and we….”

He lost heart before he could say it, looking at the girls as if hoping either of them would figure it out and spare him the pain of having to say it.

“We slept together.” Link finished, trying to get the worst over with. “Last night.”

For what seemed like an age there was silence. Link thought wildly that he might’ve preferred some yelling, or even tears - but there was no anger or sadness on their faces yet. Only numb shock and hurt. Again Rhett found the nerve first, speaking when it got too much.

“We realized while we were apart that there were some feelings and it -”

"Kiss him." Christy interrupted, and their heads spun around toward her in unison.

"I... what?" Rhett gaped at her.

"Kiss him." She said again, her voice cold and angry.

"Chris'..." Link tried, but he fell silent at the dangerous look on her face.

He turned to Rhett for his help and saw Rhett glancing at Jessie, who was staunchly staring them down in agreement with Christy.

"If this is real you'd kiss him,” Christy told him.

Not seeing any other alternative, they told each other with their eyes _just do it_. As exposing as it was to have something so new and vulnerable on display Link knew they owed it to their wives, giving him the nerve to press their lips together. It was short and lacked the passion from earlier, barely held for a moment before they pulled away.

Jessie promptly slid her chair back and left the room, where Rhett hurried after her. Christy remained seated a few seconds longer before getting up off her chair and sleep walking her way towards her husband. Her expression was blank and unreadable as her gaze focused on Link, who was already opening his mouth to say something. Then suddenly, she reared her hand back and slapped him with all the force she could muster.

He yelped and brought his hands up to defend himself as he started thumping her fists against his chest, trying to hit every bit of flesh she could connect with.

“Christy - ahhh!” Link groaned, taking a few more thumps before gripping her wrist gently to stop her. She wasn’t a weak woman, so it was an effort to hold on without hurting her.

His heart broke when he saw that she was crying, too hurt and exhausted to keep fighting even as she struggled against his hold. In time she gave up and tugged her hands away.

“Baby…”

“Don’t you ‘baby’ me.” Christy warned.

She turned away from him gripped the kitchen counter, her shoulders set with fury. In the silence Link could hear nothing but her deep breaths, the muffled yelling of Rhett and Jessie in the lounge, and sound of the kids outside.  

She stood in silence even as they heard the door slam and Rhett's car pull out of the driveway, meaning Rhett and Jessie had gone home. Link wished he’d had the chance to say _something_ , anything, to Jessie - or that Rhett would have said goodbye, but he understood.

“Is he gone?”

Link latched onto her talking again. “Yeah…. They just pulled out of the driveway.”

“You gonna go after him?” She said quietly.

“What? No! Christy -”

“Christy what?” She threw back, throwing a hand towel aside. “What do you want Link?”

“I want you.”

Christy gritted her teeth, ignoring the wetness she could see building in his eyes. “And him.”

Link bowed his head and spoke into his hands. “And him.” He repeated.

Christy sighed, her face still flushed with anger even as she took a seat back at the table, holding her arms away from him.

“You expect me to let you fuck him and then come home to tuck the kids in? Go on three way dates? Split dinners between our house and theirs?”

“I’m not expecting anything.” He assured her, his hand reaching for hers and falling flat to the table when she recoiled from it. “You can hate me forever. I just couldn’t lie to you.”

Christy laughed dryly. “You’ve lied to me for years.”

Link frowned. “What does that mean?”

“You can’t tell me this is something new.” She accused. “I’ve seen you with him, you’ve had feelings forever. This has probably been going on for years and it’s only now -”

“No.” Link said firmly.  

She bit her lip and turned away again, fiddling with the ring on her finger.

“But you have had feelings.”

“Yes.” Link admitted.

A silence worse than before fell on them again. Link guessed words failed to express the hurt and disappointment he felt from her, and he didn’t want to say anything more to make things worse.

“I’m going to get something for that.” She said eventually, gesturing towards the mark she’d left on his face. “Not because you deserve it but because the kids will ask how you got it.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Link said quickly.

But she was already walking towards the refrigerator, clearly wanting something to do with her hands. In an instant she’d pulled out a bag of frozen peas and come back to him. The gesture was sweet but Link could tell by the way she slapped it on his face that he was far from forgiven.

"You gunna leave me?" Link asked sadly.

"I haven’t said I won’t." Christy warned, pressing the peas a little too hard into his cheek.

"Well that's better than a yes." Link said hopefully, the small grin on his face dying when her eyes widened dangerously.

When she felt like she'd got the cold pressure on the worst of it, she sighed and chucked the bag on the counter in frustration.

"So what do we tell all the kids?" She questioned. "Uncle Link and Uncle Rhett got together and they've all got two daddies now? You going to tell Lilly about your boyfriend?"

Link winced. "Don't say it like that - and slow down."

"Then how do you want me to say it, Charles?" Christy challenged.

Link swallowed. He knew she was truly angry when she called him by his birth name.

"We ease them into it. We ease all of us into it."

In an effort to broker peace he reached for her hand, which she pointedly ignored.

"I haven’t said we’re easing into anything.”

There was a beat before Link drew his hand away, moving to his own ring.

"Could you give him up?" She asked suddenly.

Too taken aback to answer immediately, Link’s mouth opened to form the words _I don’t know_ , but found he couldn’t.

Because Link knew the answer. What would a future without Rhett even look like? When he tried to imagine it all he could see was a great black void of uncertainty and nothingness. He'd been five when he met Rhett and hadn't spent any more than a year apart from him until now. How do you give something up if you can barely remember life without it? How could he breathe a second of his life knowing that Rhett wasn't in it? He wasn't sure he could.

Biting his lip, Link shook his head slowly, failing to reign in the flood of emotion that threatened to break. In instinct he reached across the table for her.

"I'm sorry baby." He wept into her hair, cradling the back of her head with his hand.

"You couldn't give him up if you wanted to, could you?" She said soothingly, her anger forgotten in the moment.

Link shook his head again. "I couldn't Chris’. I couldn't lose either of you."

She didn't pull away from him but she didn't move her hands to hold him either, considering his words carefully. "I won't ask you to."

Relief and love flooded through him at her words, and he allowed himself a moment of hope. At least until she spoke again.

"But I can't be here."

Without another word she got up and slung her purse on her shoulder, already looking through it to check she had everything.

“Don’t leave.” Link pleaded. “Maybe if you stay we could talk and -”

"I need time Charles." She said, sounding exhausted as she shoved her phone in the bag. "I'll find a hotel and tell Lilly and the boys I'm visiting a friend till tomorrow night."

“I’ll go.” Link offered, and he actually got up. “You shouldn’t have to.”

“No, I need to go.” She repeated.

With an air of finality, Christy took a moment to compose herself - wiping at her eyes, checking her reflection in their glass cabinet, and breathing deeply. It was something Link had seen many times before, and he’d always admired his wife’s ability to bounce back so readily.  

“I’ll call you when I’m ready.” She told him.

Knowing there was nothing he could do to change her mind - Link hitched a casual look on his face as Christy opened the sliding door to let the kids in.

He was immediately thankful that his kids were too young to be suspicious of what was happening. Only Lilly looked vaguely curious as she looked between the two of them, but it went away.

His heart dropped the second the door closed behind Christy, and he hid his face in the fridge to hide his face when it did. Thankfully he had a ready made excuse when he emerged, his hands laden with food to heat up for them. It was a nice distraction and a dose of normality to set dinner on the table, leaving them to eat since he found he wasn’t hungry.

With one eye on Lando and his fork, Link grabbed his phone and considered what to text Rhett. The only problem was it was hard to know where to start. _Sorry I possibly ruined your marriage. How's it going?_ Sounded ridiculous in his head let alone on text.

**_Link: You okay?_ **

**_Rhett: It wasn't good. She hasn't left but she's not talking. Locke knows something’s up._ **

In anger he'd once told the only step sibling he'd ever had that he was glad to see the back of her, as she walked out the door with her father for the last time. But even that had made him feel less horrible than this. He'd done this, and it was already breaking his best friend's family.

**_Link: I feel awful. I did this._ **

**_Rhett: If you did this then I did too, brother._ **

Of course Rhett would say that. Even when they were kids everything was always a _we_ to him, like the concept of them leading separate lives was unnatural. He felt the same way, but it didn't make this any less his doing in his mind.

**_Link: if I hadn't shown up at the studio none of this would have happened._ **

**_Rhett: Don't go there._ **

**_Link: We wouldn't have kissed if I’d honoured the stupid experiment. I made it happen._ **

**_Rhett: You really think this wouldn't have happened eventually?_ **

_No_ , he told himself. It would always have happened. Even if it hadn't happened in that hallway it would've happened somewhere, sometime. The tension was always far too close to the surface and threatening to spill over.

**_Link: No. It would have._ **

**_Rhett: How would it have happened? ;-)_ **

**_Link: RHETT! Be freaking serious for once._ **

**_Rhett: Sorry, it was instinct._ **

**_Link: Stop apologizing to me. Save it for Jessie._ **

He thought he might've hit a nerve this time, as he was met with nothing from Rhett’s end for several minutes.

**_Rhett: She's... not talking to me. She's locked herself in her room. I told the kids she's napping._ **

Link felt another weight fall on his chest as he imagined Jessie, in pain in her room and possibly crying. The same Jessie he'd taken out for ice cream to give her the third degree in Rhett's honour. The same Jessie he'd swooped in to save when her car broke down. The same Jessie he'd spent holidays, celebrations and joint family dinners with.

**_Link: Shit. I'm sure she just needs time._ **

**_Rhett: I hope so. How did Christy take it?_ **

Link paused, trying to answer that for himself.

**_Link: She needed some time too. She left for a hotel about a half hour ago, says she’ll be back._ **

**_Rhett: Then there's no use dishing out blame is there?_ **

**_Link: No. There isn’t._ **

He didn’t hear from Rhett for hours afterward, and it was only after he’d put the kids to bed that his phone buzzed again.

**_Rhett: Jessie left a couple hours ago, said she needed the space._ **

**_Link: We’ll all be okay Rhett._ **

**_Rhett: I hope so. Goodnight Link._ **

**_Link: Goodnight._ **

Without Rhett to distract himself Link resorted to his own standby of cleaning, putting away the dishes and dusting random surfaces until it was useless to do anything more. Eventually, all he could do was drag himself up the stairs to bed.

Trying to sleep and getting through the next morning was the worst. It was like the first day of the experiment all over again, only he didn’t have his wife. He curled up on his side of the bed, instinct and habit keeping him from spreading out across the whole mattress.  That didn’t make it any easier when he woke in the morning, reaching across with his hand and expecting to feel Christy or Rhett next to him. Instead all he got was a bit of sheet bunched up in his hands.

Naturally, he couldn’t stay in bed like he normally would on a Sunday - turning to work in favour of dwelling on his problems.

It didn’t take much coercion to convince Rhett that GMM should go on an impromptu break from Monday. Link had no doubt that theories and rumours were circulating wildly about why that was, but beyond uploading a short shot-from-mobile video with Rhett to announce the break he wasn't getting into it. The atmosphere was icy enough in his own home, he didn't need to read about in TMZ if a fan got a hold of that information.

He stayed as briefly as possible after filming the video, knowing the kids were in the studio and not trusting himself not to touch or kiss Rhett while he was there.

He stayed awake long after he'd turned put Lilly to bed that night - waiting patiently and desperately hoping for the sound of his wife's car pulling into the driveway. When it finally did she said very little when she walked in the door, offering him nothing more than a hello before he headed for the stairs.

He gave her time before following her upstairs, pausing at their bedroom door.

“You can come in.” She called.

She wasn’t dressed in her pajamas yet and was sitting on the bed, staring through him when he inside.

“Hey.” Link said awkwardly.

She didn’t answer but shuffled across the bed, making room for him for him to sit.

“I’m not saying I’m entirely happy about an open relationship.”

“We -” Link tried, but Christy held up a hand.

“But I know it’s what you need.”

“I need you too.” Link assured her, his right hand moving to her cheek.

“You love me right?” She asked, and Link was terrified to see genuine fear in her eyes. He considered saying yes but instead he leaned forward and kissed her, letting it answer for him.

“Good answer.” She breathed against his mouth, but she still pulled away.

"Sleep in Lan’s room tonight? They’d wonder why you’re on the couch if you slept down there." Christy asked him.

Link nodded without argument, quietly grabbing some pajamas and slipping them on. Christy allowed him one short kiss on her cheek before he left, and he took that as hope enough.

He stopped short as he passed by Lincoln’s room, glancing inside.  

Although it made his fingers twinge and itch to look at the mess the sight made him feel at peace. Nerf guns - some Lincoln's and some Locke's, lay in their usual heap in the corner, along with several packs of playing cards and a 3DS. Lincoln himself seemed to have fallen asleep with the light on, facing away from him.

His hand was already on the light switch when he was surprised by Lincoln’s voice. “Dad?”

"Yeah?"

"Can you put on my Rhett and Link music? I haven't listened to it in a while."

Link smiled in amusement and walked over to him. "You know it's just me and Rhett right?"

Lincoln rolled his eyes, sitting up in bed. "It's like a band name. You don't call a band _Dad_ dad."

Link chuckled quietly. "You're real cheeky you know that?" He teased affectionately, even as he fiddled with Lincoln's phone and speakers on the dresser.

Lincoln's only answer was to curl back up under his blanket, smiling expectantly and making more room for his dad to sit. Link took the hint and lay down in the spot next to him once the music started to play, finally feeling at peace.

The first song that played was appropriate soft, as the gentle, smooth tune of _Get You Back_ drifted through the room from Lincoln's speakers. It fell like a blanket over the both of them as Link threw an arm around his shoulder and pulled him in. Like always, Lincoln shuffled closer and settled his head on the crook of his arm, getting comfortable.

"Get some sleep buddy."

He lost himself in the nostalgia of his own music as he felt Lincoln's shaggy hair nudging his neck - resting there as he fell asleep. It was a while before Link could bring himself to extract himself from under Lincoln, taking care to lay his head down softly and not wake him.

With one last look back Link closed the door on the room and walked over to Lily's

Lilly had been the hardest to face for the past couple of weeks. Her peered in and felt guiltier by the second as he noted for the millionth time just how much she looked like her mother. It was all he could do not to walk in and hold her too, but the soft hum of her breathing told him she actually was sleeping.

"Night Lil'" He said quietly, before closing the door on her too.

Finally, he reached Lando’s room and crept inside, slipping under the blanket and gathering his youngest son in his arms. As he expected Lando didn’t even stir, and he was asleep within moments.

* * *

 

He and Christy woke before the rest of the house the next morning, hoping to talk before the kids were around to hear. Just in case they kept their voices low as they talked, and Link aimed for some form of normal by pouring coffee for them.

“I talked to Jessie last night.”

“Oh?” Link asked, trying to sound casual even as he avoided eye contact.

“We want to go with you both to this counsellor.”

The cups almost fell from his hands as he took in what she was saying. “You do?”

“Jessie’s talked to Rhett and they think it’s a good idea.”

Link sipped at his cup to avoid answering right away but gave in at the determined look on her face. “So you think it’s a good idea too?”

Her expression was a little too tight to be able to say she was totally fine with anything, but she nodded. “It would help.”

He knew he wouldn’t deny her when he could see how much she needed this, even if the idea his heart thump with anxiety. “Okay.”

The thought of facing Jessie again wasn't entirely appealing to Link - and he could tell, as they walked into Carole’s office, that Rhett was thinking the same about Christy. He watched Rhett sneaking glimpses at Christy like he was walking on eggshells, and when Link followed suit with a glance at Jessie he was pained to see the usually friendly light in her brown eyes was gone.

He shook himself and swallowed the lump in his throat when he heard the door opening.

"Good to finally see you all together." Carole commented, closing the door behind her and slipping into her chair as she surveyed them all. "So... what's on your minds?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always comments are love, please leave one <3


	11. Growth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The four of them begin to move forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to start off by saying I'M SORRY. I am the worst and this took wayyyyyy too long. I know. But I hope you like how this ended up. Enjoy :)

 

**_Sunday night_ **

It was strange. Rhett had never thought about what it would like to have a soul ripped in two halves. To be drawn between two people in a way that was not so much a tug-o-war as it was a balancing act. It hurt and he was weak from the strain of it, but the consequences were far more than a torn rope if he let it fray to pieces. It was his family.

He told Jessie everything when she asked - in a hurt voice that broke his heart - for the details. The texts; the sex, the feelings. He thought he might have lost her when he told her he initiated the kiss in that hallway, but she stayed. She stayed when he told her what the kiss was like, longing and inevitable. She even sat, unfazed, when he told her about the sex. What he felt and how it felt - the fact that it was him that took Link first - even how long it was. It was only when he admitted that it was more than sex that the light really dulled in her eyes, and he had to force himself to look at her when he noticed. The only hope he had was that the light wasn't out completely, 

He could practically see her falling to pieces when he told her he couldn’t know when he started feeling things for his best friend, that it could have been decades ago that it really began. Because really, it would be near impossible to pinpoint the moment in a relationship so old and constant.

Like Link, he didn’t argue when she closed the bedroom door to him and took up home on the couch for the night. As an afterthought he set the alarm on his phone and placed it on the side table behind him, hoping to avoid questions in the morning. He knew he should take every single one of them, but he dreaded the moment when Locke would start asking questions. 

His heart and hand itched to pick up his phone and call Link, but a part of him felt like he didn’t deserve it. So he slept through every bit of cramping and loneliness he felt on that couch. Despite the pain, it felt like a kind of penance, and in a way, it was a relief.

For the entire night, his tired body was restless for the loving arms of either of the two people he loved the most. But neither were there in the morning despite his dreams.

It took half the next day for the boys to figure out that something was wrong, and then another day before Jessie would let him in bed with her. It made him feel like a child himself, sitting there waiting until Locke and Shepherd were fast asleep before he made his bed on the couch. 

The first counseling session had gone as well as could be expected. Jessie’s mouth still went thin and her jaw still clenched when he mentioned Link’s name, but she at least hadn’t left again. 

It was another session before they really made progress - her jaw was relaxed at least, and they were talking. The icy edge to her voice at the mention of Link was thawing rapidly, and she invited him into their bed again. 

He waited until Friday before he brought up going back to work the coming Monday, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. He took it as a good sign that she didn't jerk her shoulder away from him or go staunchly silent when he brought it up. Then when she allowed him a kiss and a genuine smile, he felt downright hopeful. So he wrapped his arms gently around her waist.

“Baby…” He said tentatively, “I want to know how you feel about me seeing him. Not just at work but  _ seeing  _ him.” 

“We talked in therapy didn't we?” She commented.

“Yeah but I want to talk about it without an office. Just us.” He told her.

“You know how I feel.” She sighed, placing a hand on his. “We’ll be okay. It's just going to take some time for me to get used to… all of this.”

“You shouldn't have to get used to anything,” Rhett said guiltily, frowning into her hair.

“It's not like it should be a shock.” She said honestly. “He’s had you a long time.”

Rhett went quiet for a while as he took in her words. “But we’re okay?”

“We’re okay.” She assured him, as he rocked her a little in his arms. She seemed to think that was the end of the conversation, but Rhett still held her.

“This was the hardest week and a half of my life you know,” Rhett admitted, taking Carol’s advice about openness. “Missing him and almost losing you.”

Jessie squeezed the hand around her waist in response, leaning into his shoulder and listening closely.

“If I lose either of you I lose me.” He told her, his voice breaking on the last few words. “Tell me you’re okay one more time, please.”

There was a plea in his voice and desperation in the way he was holding her that she couldn't miss.

“I'm okay.” She said quietly.

He buried his now damp face into her shoulder in love and relief, holding her closer. 

“I'm not ready to see though. Keep it to the office, just for now.” She requested.

“We can do that.” He promised, lifting his head and wiping at his eye. “I'm going to wash up before the boys come down.”

He pressed a grateful kiss to her lips before moving to leave the room.

“Babe?” Jessie called, and he stopped in his tracks, turning to face her again.

“The four of us should have dinner. Soon.” 

He nodded and then swallowed, a horrible thought crossing his mind. “What if Christy decides she isn’t okay with it after all? I haven't talked to her outside of a therapist’s office in days.”

“Why else would she bother with therapy?” Jessie asked him, now pulling plates out of a cabinet.

“Minds can be changed.” He argued, his brain adding an unwelcome thought as he looked at her -  _ so could yours _ .

In an instant, Jessie turned and pressed a gentle palm to his face. “I know Chris’, she would never do that to him. Or you.”

“I wouldn't blame her if she did.” He said, the familiar feeling of guilt seeping through him again.

Jessie simply frowned and leaned forward to kiss him again, deeper and longer this time.

“Go wash up already.” She ordered, and he smiled.

It was strange how normal Mythical Entertainment seemed after so much had gone down. 

Production, writing, filming, and business were moving like normal, as if his world wasn't resting precariously on cracking ice. Stevie was talking about doing a wrap up of the experiment week like he’d be able to recall anything other than Link’s lips and Jessie’s pain. 

Because neither of them were truly actors, or at least they didn't consider themselves actors. Sure they could act enough to pull off a script but it was never really their forte. He had no idea how to sit at their desk and pretend like he wasn’t feeling so much. Link was always better at that than him. 

As if on cue Link walked through the doors, wearing a tired but happy look on his face. Rhett felt himself getting unnaturally annoyed at the small smile - not just because he was mad Link could manage to look so free, but also because he looked so good doing it. The only sign of anything being amiss at all was the quickly growing stubble on his face.

Yet still he greeted crew members, grabbed his mug of water and sat at the desk like it was any other day. Like they hadn’t slept together upstairs and almost lost their families just a week ago. Like they hadn’t neglected to carpool today to give their wives the courtesy of not seeing them leave together on the first day back. 

Like he didn’t want to be kissing him right now.

“Starting in five people!” He heard Stevie call, making sure all crew members were in place as Rhett took his seat beside Link. 

“Hi.” Link said quietly, shooting him a small, tired smile.

“Hey,” Rhett said, smiling back.

Link looked around the room to be sure the crew were all busy setting up before he spoke, leaning in to whisper. “Listen I don’t want to talk about anything before filming, it might throw me off. Afterwards?”

“Yeah of course.” 

Link grinned and pulled away, straightening himself in his seat just as Stevie counted them in. 

5...4...3...2...1

* * *

 

_ “We’re back!”   Link spoke in the camera. _

_ “Let’s talk about that.”  Rhett finished. _

_ There was the usual pause for editing before Link lept into action.  “Good Mythical Morning!”  He called, offering a wink and a finger gun.  _

_ Rhett took the opportunity to dramatically run his hand over the desk like he hadn’t seen it in years.  “Look at us Link, we’re back at the same desk again.”  _

_ “Yes, we are. Good to see you, Rhett.”  Link joked, holding out his hand and shaking Rhett’s dramatically.   “I missed you.” _

_ “Missed you too, man.”  Rhett grinned, taking a sip from his cup to hide how wide it was. _

_ “Now what we wanted to do was come back and kind of give a bit of a rundown on how the week went.”  Link began, “Because it has been a little while.”  _

_ “I mean, there were videos,”  Rhett argued. _

_ “True.” Link agreed. “Wait, did you watch mine?” _

_ “Uhhhh some of them. Not all of ‘em if I could help it.”  Rhett told him.  _

_ In response, Link clapped a hand on his shoulder.  “You just missed me so much you couldn’t watch, could you?” _

_ Rhett’s eyes widened and, not wanting the show to devolve into an awkward silence, answered quietly.  “Yeah, that’s it.” _

_ He took another swallow of water before he could continue.  “So what was it like for you?” _

_ “I felt like I was in the freaking Twilight Zone.”  Link answered, causing Rhett to laugh heartily . “I’d have moments where I’d go to grab two of something and then realize you weren’t there.” _

_ “Yeah right behind you.”  Rhett teased. _

_ “I’d usually just look over my shoulder and find you there.”  Link bounced off him. “But not that week, I was giant free.”  _

_ “Your loss.”  _

_ Link chuckled, glancing at him briefly before addressing the camera again.  “But seriously - there had to have been at least three times I’d go to buy or make a cup of coffee and I’d wind up with two of ‘em.” _

_ “The crew got a lot of coffee out of this,” Rhett said, resulting in a few appreciative chuckles from the crew in the background.  _

_ “It took a bit to get used to though, right?” Link asked. “When you work with someone as much as we do not having them there kind of shakes up your whole routine. It’d mess up my whole day!” _

_ “Yeah, I can imagine how annoyed you were with that,” Rhett commented. _

_ “But level with me here - it had to be a little bit like that for you.”  _

_ “It was.” Rhett agreed. “But I'm not as much of a man of routine as you so it was in a different way. I don't expect every **thing** to stay the same but if there's a person that I expect to be there on a daily basis it throws me off when they’re not there.” _

_ “But that's routine.” Link argued. _

_ Rhett stroked his beard. “I mean I guess. But not in the same way.” He repeated. _

_ “Okay, I’ll give you that.”  _

_ “What does it say about our friendship that your mind was on coffee and mine was on you?” Rhett asked. _

_ “That I like coffee.” Link shot back, causing them both to laugh. _

* * *

 

They bantered and joked as easily as breathing for the rest of the episode - much to Rhett’s surprise. He’d thought it’d be harder just being in the same room as Link, especially while talking about the week they’d had - but it wasn’t. It was still his best friend and their show, only he loved him. 

He was  _ allowed _ to love him. 

As Rhett thought about it he knew his focus must have have been split during the Good Mythical More, as his gaze flickered a little too often to Link. Of course, Rhett figured, the shippers would probably interpret that much correctly, and that was a thought that slightly scared him. 

Because they knew he’d been looking even before he did. For years.

Maybe he looked away before he could catch himself. Or before he realized he was looking at Link’s eyes; hair, body or smile, rather than just his face. Either way it wasn’t often that he truly appreciated just how good Link looked on an average day. At least that he’s aware of. But now that he had permission from his heart and wife to look, he definitely did. Sure, the fans spoke about it - at length, but he’d never been free to truly  _ look  _ at him. 

So he kept looking as if he’d never seen his best friend of over thirty years before. Because he wasn’t just the brother he hung out with anymore, or the dude he started a business with, or even the kid he made a blood oath with. This was the man he had touched and kissed. The man who had a ring on his finger just as surely as his wife did - even if it wasn’t physical, and he could have saved them all a lot of time if he’d realized that years ago.

Working on autopilot, Rhett followed Link up to their office after filming, answering his small talk without really realizing what he was hearing. It was only when they’d closed the door and Link wandered off to make them coffee that Rhett did something. 

Without a word he walked up behind him and took the mug Link had grabbed, putting it aside before reaching around to gently take off his glasses. 

“Rhett don’t.” Link protested. “They're still warming to us.” 

But Rhett didn’t make any move to leave. “I can’t just watch this now that I’ve had you.” 

“Watch...” Link cleared his throat, feeling a familiar warmth coming over him as he felt Rhett tilting his head with two fingers to get better access to his neck. “Watch what?”

“You,” Rhett growled, before bringing his lips to Link’s neck. 

Link wanted to tell him they needed to give their wives more time before they went there. But the feeling of the large hands, soft tongue and warm body pressing into him in all the right ways made it too delicious to resist.

“Oh gosh.”

“Better?” Rhett whispered in his ear, now busy with running his hands over Link’s chest.

“Better?”  

Without warning Link turned and shoved Rhett back into his desk, raising himself on his tiptoes to begin an assault on the taller man’s lips. In response Rhett bent a little, meeting Link’s lips as his friend wrapped an arm around his neck. Every time either of them would try to pull away the other would pull them back in, unwilling to relinquish.

“We can’t do it like this again, not yet.” Link breathed, letting out a small moan as he felt Rhett’s tongue at his lips again. 

“You’re right.” Rhett sighed against his mouth, though his lips made to kiss him one more time and their foreheads stayed touching. 

Thankfully they didn’t have long to resist the temptation, as a single knock at the door had them jumping apart so quickly they almost tripped. Their hands flew to their mouths and hair by instinct before they let Stevie in the door, who placed papers on the nearest side table.

“Night boss men.” She called.

“Night Stevie!” They called back in unison. 

She bowed out with a smile and they dropped onto their couch in relief, settling into each other’s arms. 

“And that.” Link said. “Is why we’re waiting.”

Rhett chuckled and placed a small kiss on the shorter man’s forehead, slumping back and getting comfortable. “Yeah.”

It was a while before they went home. It had been over a week since they’d had this - their place, and the week had been so focused on their wives and talking about their relationship that they hadn’t had the chance to have one. So neither were in a rush to go home. It wasn’t until Rhett felt a tap on his knee and Link’s weight leaving his side that he realized they should go. 

He kissed him goodbye a block away from his house like a teenage romance before they drove the rest of the way and parted with a secret smile in their eyes.

* * *

It was good after that. Not perfect, but so good.

Nights with Jessie were spent whispering into her hair how beautiful, kind and understanding she was. How blessed and thankful he was to have her. While the nights he had with Link were spent telling him again and again how much he’d always wanted him, and what a dream it was to have him now.

Because sometimes it felt like a dream, having the two brunette’s that meant the most to him at his side. 

Most of the time the studio was theirs and their homes were for their wives, even after Jessie and Christy were open to seeing them together. It was the mythical palace after all. Their kingdom just as much as it was for the beasts. The beginning and completion of everything at the same time. 

So as they lay side by side in their loft, with the sunset on another work day - Rhett’s hand sifted gently through Link’s hair and he knew.

They were lucky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, lovelies this is the unofficial end of the story. I say unofficial because I feel like there's more there. So there will almost definitely be an epilogue. Here's hoping it doesn't take months this time! I really hope you've enjoyed the ride whether it ends here or not. 
> 
> Special thanks to @theaveragebear for beta-ing and to @TopherIsATribble for inspiring and motivating me to continue <3
> 
> As always - comments are love please leave one :) <3


End file.
